Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has denied any involvement in the anti-government protests led by youth in June-July of last year. During a joint interview with Citizen Digital's sister outlets Mulembe FM, Vuuka FM, and Sulwe FM on Tuesday, Gachagua, who was impeached last October, accused his former boss, President William Ruto, of using the protests as a strategy to push him out of office.

“When the Gen Z protests started, Ruto had already decided he wanted me removed from his government. He called his people together and told them I was organizing the youth, as he couldn't explain why he was targeting me,” Gachagua explained. “They all teamed up and started accusing me of organizing and funding the protests. I had nothing to do with that. In fact, if those young people had asked me to lead them, I would have gladly done so.”


The protests, which were sparked by issues such as a controversial finance bill proposing tax hikes, forced President Ruto to retract the bill and reshuffle his Cabinet.

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Gachagua, who voiced strong support for Kenya's youth, described them as a key factor in the 2027 elections and urged them to register as voters. “The youth hold the power to decide who leads this country. That’s why I encourage them to not just protest online, but also to register as voters, because that’s where the real decisions are made,” he said. “I may not have been involved in their protests, but I fully back their cause. They are brave and speak their minds.”


Last September, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved charges against five of Gachagua’s allies for their alleged involvement in the protests. The individuals, including MPs Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), George Theuri (Embakasi West), former Nyeri Town MP Wambugu Ngunjiri, and Gachagua’s private secretary, Pius Munene, faced charges of solicitation, conspiracy to commit a felony, and money laundering.

At the time, Gachagua dismissed the charges as politically motivated, claiming that Ruto and certain Cabinet members were using the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the DPP’s office to damage his reputation and create grounds for his impeachment.