By Grace Gilo
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the government of harassment and intimidation against him.
He has urged the public to hold the state accountable should any harm befall him.
“In this era of extrajudicial killings, forced abductions and disappearances by state agents, I have thought it important to share with Kenyans the harassment and intimidation I am going through, and inform them to hold the state responsible if I am harmed by state agents,” Gachagua stated.
In a post on his X account, Gachagua reported that security agents in unmarked cars have been following his movements. The agents are said to be parking at the entrances of his residences.
“Security agents in unmarked cars have been following me wherever I go. They are parking at the entrance of my Nairobi residence, taking note of all my visitors, and they trail me whenever I leave the house, even all the way to my rural home in Nyeri,” Gachagua detailed on X.
“Last Sunday, the below saloon car that was parked at the entrance to my residence trailed me to PCEA Kerarapon Church, followed me to where I went for a late lunch and back to the house,” the former Deputy President revealed.
Rigathi further added that after investigating the saloon car through the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) portal, he discovered that the vehicle’s registration number belonged to a lorry, not the car that had been trailing him.
“Upon checking the NTSA portal, I noticed that the number plates are registered to a lorry,” he added.
“This surveillance and intimidation of Kenyans was last witnessed during the era of the dreaded ‘Special Branch’ during the 24 years of Moi’s misrule,” he wrote.
Gachagua, who was impeached from office, urged the government to leave him alone and allow him to live peacefully as a private citizen.
“I request the state to leave me alone! You hounded me out of office, and you should now allow me to enjoy my peace as a private citizen,” the former DP requested.