DCP: State planning to assassinate Gachagua through poisoning
By Faith Lagat, August 14, 2025The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has sounded the alarm over what it calls a sinister state plot targeting its leader, Rigathi Gachagua, ahead of his return to Kenya on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
In a statement dated August 14, 2025, DCP claimed senior government officials are orchestrating a plan to arrest, harm, or silence Gachagua, warning that if they dare lay a hand on him, the country will grind to a halt.
“They want to kill his voice and his body at the same time. But let this be clear: if they dare lay a hand on him, the country will grind to a halt,” read the statement.
The DCP described the former Deputy President’s homecoming as a “pivotal moment” in Kenya’s struggle for democratic renewal.
While Gachagua was abroad, the party claims, a plan was hatched to arrest him upon arrival, with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen allegedly issuing threats. The DCP went further, claiming intelligence reports point to an assassination attempt through poisoning, likening it to the ordeal of the late Kenneth Matiba while in state custody.
“Intelligence reaching us points to a scheme so evil, so cowardly, that it chills the soul: their intent is to subject him to slow and silent assassination by poisoning—the very same cruel method once inflicted on the late Kenneth Matiba while in state custody. This is not hearsay. It is a deliberate plot to silence the voice of the people by physically destroying its leader,” read part of the statement.
“They did this during his impeachment. He responded by asking his supporters to stand down and protest by singing melodies, but this time around, let the plotters know that the song is different, the rhythm tougher, and we will turn it into a cacophony of defiance. There comes a time when enough has to be enough, and that time is now.”
The party also accused National Assembly Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee Chair Nelson Koech of plotting to divert Gachagua’s flight to Mombasa or Kisumu to block him from addressing the nation. “If they divert the plane, our supporters in Kisumu and Mombasa will turn those airports into oceans of DCP colors and defiance,” the statement warned.
US tour
The party detailed Gachagua’s recent tour of the United States, where he visited Seattle, Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, and Baltimore, meeting Kenyans abroad and launching DCP satellite offices in Texas and Washington.
“During his highly successful U.S. visit, H.E. Rigathi Gachagua rallied our brothers and sisters abroad to prepare for active political participation and to return home to help rebuild this nation from the ruins of corruption and misrule,” the statement read.
According to DCP, the trip strengthened the “Wantam” movement, which it says is pushing for systemic change amid increasing state oppression.
Call for mass mobilisation
Deputy Party Leader Senator Cleophas Malala has called for a massive turnout at JKIA and other airports, framing it as both a welcome and a show of defiance.
“Their plan is to abduct, intimidate, and place him under house arrest to silence him. If they dare lay a hand on him, the country will grind to a halt,” Malala declared.
Citing past incidents in Kakamega, Subukia, Gilgil, and Murang’a, the DCP accused the state of a sustained campaign to weaken the opposition through violence. The party urged Kenyans to unite, saying, “Kenya will not be auctioned. Together, we will reclaim our country, restore truth, dignity, and justice, and build a government that serves with humility.”