How Gachagua Has Reacted to Headline By Various Newspapers About Goons Being Sponsored By Govt

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has tied the explosive front-page stories in Kenya’s top newspapers The Standard and the Nation to what he describes as the Ruto government’s latest “operational strategy”: deploying state-backed goons in collaboration with police to crush opposition.

In a strongly worded post on X this morning, Gachagua directly referenced the dailies’ investigations, stating:

“As clearly shown by the two leading newspapers, goonism has now become the standard operating method for Mr. William Ruto’s administration.” 

The Saturday Standard’s headline read “Empire of Goons,” while the Nation ran “Goons’ Paradise: Inside Kenya’s Expanding Economy of Violence.” 

Both reports exposed a sophisticated network of funders, coordinators, and attackers protected by political influence and operating without fear of consequences.

The investigations detailed organised assaults on churches, opposition gatherings, businesses, and even senators, with police either participating or arriving too late to intervene.

Gachagua pulled no punches. He accused the government of transforming criminal gangs into an unofficial arm of the National Police Service:

“Goons have become part of the National Police Service and are working side by side with officers to create chaos and unleash violence against innocent Kenyan.

Police have privately confirmed to us that these goons are sent out to operate alongside them on the direct instructions of CS Murkomen and PS Raymond Omollo.”

He also alleged that the contentious deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti was not primarily aimed at combating gangs there, but rather served as “a benchmarking mission” for Kenyan officers to study how to collaborate with criminal groups back home.