Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that Gen Zs listened to his advice not to turn up in large numbers for the commemoration protest on June 25, 2026.
The protest, which occurred sparingly in parts of the country, was planned in honour of the people who lost their lives during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
“I sincerely thank my dear sons and daughters – the Gen Zs – for heeding my plea to avoid death and injury. They had planned to harm you in a big magnitude,” Gachagua said in a statement.
“I further extend great thanks to the business people, traders and neighbourhoods for trusting my better judgement and information and shutting down your premises and securing your towns and communities; this deterred the looting and destruction by state-sponsored goons as they had planned,” he added.
“Many thanks to the millions of Kenyans for heeding my request to stay at home to avoid death and injury. Thank you, parents, for accepting my request to keep your children out of harm’s way.”
Gratitude
The former Mathira Member of Parliament (MP) also expressed gratitude to the police officers who acted in a professional way to contain the demonstrations.
“To the professional police officers who acted with restraint and refrained from shooting the protesters whose pain was too much to bear and showed up on our streets, towns and cities to express themselves,” he added.
“Most importantly, I thank the patriotic police officers who tipped me off about the plans by Mr. Murkomen to use goons to harm Kenyans and destroy property.”
Gachagua warns police officers
However, he condemned officers who he said used force in dealing with the demonstrators.
“But to the few police officers who tried to use excessive force and arbitrary arrests, be patriotic; this is your country. We know you are suffering too, just like the 55 million other Kenyans. Do not ever take illegal orders again,” Gachagua said.
“To the patriotic civil servants who tipped me off about the Kshs. 200 million withdrawn to pay goons to wreak havoc, on behalf of the people of Kenya, we thank you most sincerely. It is this information that helped me guide the Gen Zs and Kenyans to avoid death, injury and destruction of property which they had plotted,” the United Opposition figure added.
“I am forever indebted to you, gallant officers. To the GenZs, please know that tactical retreat is not surrender but strategy. Let them know that caution is not cowardice but wisdom. I am humbled that Kenyans trusted my judgement, believed I am a truthful and honest man and that I do care for their welfare and that I value human life and human dignity.”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchuma Murkomen said 355 people were arrested in connection with the June 25 demos.
