Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has addressed an incident that occurred on Thursday, which compelled him to leave a funeral service in Limuru, Kiambu County, following disruptions caused by assailants who attacked mourners indiscriminately.
In a statement posted on X, Gachagua suggested that the government had deliberately removed his security detail to enable such an assault.
“Earlier this week, the government retracted the last remnants of my security that had been established following the impeachment process we are currently contesting. We did not contest this decision, although it was anticipated that any Kenyan who has held a governmental position at my level would continue to receive protection from the state even after leaving office,” he stated.
“However, it now appears that the decision to withdraw my security was intended to leave me vulnerable to the type of attack we experienced today.”
Gachagua recounted the events at the funeral of a young man named Erastus Nduati, highlighting that the assailants specifically targeted him and attacked mourners with various crude weapons, indiscriminately harming both women and children.
“Today, I attended the funeral service for a young man named Erastus Nduati. As we were preparing to lay him to rest, assailants attacked us and the other mourners present, including children. The attackers were armed with stones, machetes, iron bars, and sticks,” he remarked in the statement on X, which included images of one of his vehicles that was damaged during the incident.
“They randomly descended upon the mourners and assaulted them with their weapons. A specific group followed me as I approached my vehicle, which they then attacked with stones and iron bars. We literally had to escape the venue under a barrage of rocks!”
Additionally, Gachagua expressed his disappointment regarding the situation, condemning the government’s alleged involvement in the incident.
“This situation is deeply unfortunate and represents a significant failure on the part of the state, which was evidently involved in these actions. We particularly recall the family mourning a loved one in a casket, forced to seek safety amid their immense sorrow,” he stated.
“We will continue to stand by Kenyans in their times of need and will not be intimidated. We hope that such a disgraceful incident will not occur again.”
