Lawyer Wahome Thuku has dug up a past statement by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, resurfacing remarks that are now coming back to haunt him as Kenyans continue to protest in the streets.
Thuku reminded Gachagua of a statement he made in 2023, when the former DP told Kenyans plainly that if they went to the streets, they should not expect the police to kiss them.
The remarks were made during a period of protest activity and were widely condemned at the time as dismissive of citizens’ right to demonstrate.
The timing of Thuku’s reminder is deliberate. With countrywide protests going on to mark the anniversary of the 2024 Finance Bill demonstrations where several people were killied, Gachagua’s old words carry renewed weight and controversy.
Thuku’s post drew attention to what many see as the hypocrisy of politicians who once used the machinery of government to suppress protests, but who now find themselves on the outside of power and sympathetic to demonstrators.
Gachagua was impeached as Deputy President in October 2024 and has since repositioned himself as a critic of the Ruto administration.
His political fortunes have shifted dramatically, and his past statements are now being used against him by those who remember the role he played while in government.
The resurfaced quote serves as a sharp reminder that in Kenyan politics, words have a long shelf life.