Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja of surrendering control of the National Police Service to politicians, claiming the security agency has been turned into a tool for intimidation rather than protection.
Gachagua made the remarks following an incident in which his entourage was attacked in Kagio, Kirinyaga County, on Friday, January 9, 2026.
In a statement shared on his social media platforms on Saturday, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader said the events in Kirinyaga pointed to a dangerous breakdown of police command and professionalism.
“Why have you surrendered the command of the National Police Service to politicians? Are you not embarrassed that the National Police Service has become the cause of insecurity instead of providing security to citizens?” Gachagua posed.
He accused the Inspector General of being either unwilling or unable to rein in rogue operations allegedly driven by political interests, warning that such actions risk eroding public trust in the police.
Gachagua further claimed that senior police leadership was either unaware of or complicit in actions that have left citizens exposed to violence.
According to the former Deputy President, a special squad of officers dressed in civilian clothes was deployed to Kirinyaga County on the day of the incident.
He alleged that the officers commandeered two police Land Cruisers from Baricho and Wang’uru police stations before mounting an operation that targeted his convoy.
Gachagua claimed the team was led by an officer attached to the Murang’a Woman Representative’s office, whom he also accused of involvement in previous violent incidents, including the attack on Nyandarua Senator John Methu in July 2025 and disturbances during the Narok by-elections.
He further alleged that the same officer, working together with Kirinyaga County government askaris, set up a roadblock along the Sagana–Kagio–Kutus road, only a short distance from Sagana Police Station.
“Yesterday, January 9, 2026, a special squad of officers in civilian clothes arrived in Kirinyaga County and commandeered two police Land Cruisers from Baricho and Wang’uru police stations,” Gachagua said, insisting the operation was politically driven.
The claims come amid growing concerns over the conduct of security agencies during political activities, particularly as political temperatures rise ahead of the 2027 General Election.
