Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly criticized the government over a recent wave of alleged abductions, claiming they are part of a strategy to intimidate critics and silence dissent. Speaking in a statement on Friday, Gachagua accused the current administration of using abductions as a tool to stifle opposition, particularly targeting young people, including members of Generation Z who had recently protested against the Finance Bill, 2024.
Gachagua stated that the message being sent to Kenyans was clear: “If you speak out against the government, you will be picked up by the now famous Subaru boys and disappeared.” He claimed that this was an attempt to intimidate the youth into silence, preventing them from voicing their concerns as they did during the public outcry over the Finance Bill. However, the former Deputy President was firm in his assertion that such tactics would not work. “The strategy of trying to scare Kenyans into silence will not hold,” he said.
In his remarks, Gachagua reflected on his time in office, where he had opposed the use of force as a way to manage political opposition. He emphasized that he had privately and publicly expressed his stance against using force to suppress dissent, addressing his concerns directly with President William Ruto. Gachagua now alleges that the abductions are a sign of the government’s disconnection from the people’s reality, and he claimed that nearly 100 Kenyans have been abducted, with many still missing.
The former DP’s comments came just a day after Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, denied any police involvement in the abductions. Kanja firmly rejected allegations that the police were responsible for the disappearances and confirmed that no police station in the country was holding any of the abducted individuals. He further stated that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) would investigate the matter.
The growing number of abductions, especially among young Kenyans, has sparked a public outcry, with many calling for accountability from the government.
