NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 27 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has threatened to mobilise Kenyans to stop paying taxes if President William Ruto’s government continues what he described as violence, destruction of property and persecution of citizens.
Gachagua said peaceful resistance through a tax boycott would be the next course of action if the government fails to change its approach.
“If William Ruto continues to harass people, continues to bring violence, chaos and kill people, we will not fight him with violence. I will issue a directive to Kenyans to suspend the payment of taxes until William Ruto comes to his senses,” Gachagua declared.
The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader said withholding taxes would become a peaceful weapon if the government continues using what he described as violence and intimidation.
“We are peaceful people. Since we cannot match you in violence, we will suspend the payment of taxes until you come to your senses.”
He insisted that he does not support violence, saying Kenyans should use peaceful and constitutional means to push for political change.
While at it, Gachagua also urged motorists not to comply with the government’s planned mandatory vehicle inspection programme for vehicles older than four years.
He claimed the inspection exercise was designed to raise billions of shillings for political purposes and called on Kenyans to reject it.
“Nobody should take their vehicle for inspection and give William Ruto money.”
His remarks come days after Gen Z-led protests rocked parts of the country.
Gachagua defended his decision to ask residents of the Mt Kenya region to stay away from last week’s demonstrations, saying it helped save lives and businesses.
He thanked residents, traders and young people for following his advice.
“When I told business people not to open their shops because they would be destroyed, they listened. When I asked them to organise young people to protect their property, they did so. When I asked our Gen Z children to stay at home, they listened. I want to say thank you.”
According to Gachagua, he received intelligence warning that the region had been targeted for violence.
He alleged that there had been a plan to kill thousands of people and destroy businesses in Mt Kenya to intimidate the community into abandoning him politically.
“They wanted to create fear by killing our people and destroying our businesses so that the community would ask me to stop fighting William Ruto.”
He did not provide evidence to support the claims.
Gachagua further alleged that senior government officials had coordinated the plan, naming President Ruto, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Moses Kuria and Mwangi Kiunjuri.
He also claimed some police officers and civil servants secretly shared information with him, including allegations that Sh200 million had allegedly been set aside to finance gangs to disrupt the Mt Kenya region.
The government has not publicly responded to the latest allegations.
Despite his criticism of the government, Gachagua urged his supporters not to resort to violence.
Instead, he called on Kenyans to prepare to vote President Ruto out of office in next year’s General Election.
“The Constitution has given us an opportunity to remove William Ruto next year. We should organise ourselves and remove him peacefully through the ballot.”
He argued that preserving lives and businesses now would allow Kenyans to participate in the elections.
“A good soldier must live to fight another day.”