Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended his controversial call for tourists to postpone trips to Kenya, saying he wants to protect the country’s tourism industry from long-term damage similar to what followed the 1988 murder of British wildlife photographer Julie Ward.

Speaking during a night interview with Meru-based media stations on Sunday, July 26, 2026, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader rejected claims that he was sabotaging Kenya’s economy by urging tourists and foreign investors to stay away.

Instead, Gachagua said his warning was intended to prevent a security incident that could damage Kenya’s international reputation for many years.

“We are not sabotaging the economy. I am a patriot,” Gachagua said.

To explain his position, Gachagua referred to the killing of Julie Ward, a 28-year-old British wildlife photographer whose body was found in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in September 1988.

Ward had disappeared during a solo photography safari before her burned and dismembered remains were discovered about a week later. Her murder attracted global media attention and became one of Kenya’s longest-running unsolved criminal cases. Despite several investigations and court proceedings over the years, no one has ever been convicted of her murder.

Gachagua argued that the case severely affected Kenya’s tourism image.

“There was a British tourist called Julie Ward. She was killed in the Maasai Mara and the story appeared in newspapers across the world. Our tourism suffered for ten years. It took ten years to fix the problem,” he said.

The former deputy president said he fears a similar situation could happen if visitors come to Kenya while, according to him, criminal gangs remain active.

He claimed that if several foreign tourists were attacked or killed, the consequences for Kenya’s tourism sector would be even worse than those experienced after Ward’s murder.

“If three or four tourists are killed, it will destroy our tourism for 20 years. It is better they stay away for one year as we fix this problem, then they can come back,” Gachagua said.

He maintained that Kenya was “not safe for now”, claiming that alleged political goons were still operating because none had been arrested.

Gachagua demands goons arrested

Gachagua questioned government statements that the problem had been dealt with, arguing that those responsible for attacks on Kenyans had not been prosecuted.

“I still insist. Kenya is not safe for now because these goons have not been arrested. Where are they?” he asked.

The DCP leader also claimed his earlier remarks had prompted authorities to provide additional security to visiting tourists in Isiolo.

“You saw tourists in Isiolo being escorted by police after I spoke. If anything happened to those tourists, it would damage Kenya’s tourism,” he said.

Gachagua claimed that after political assignments ended, the gangs could turn to crime and target foreign visitors, creating international headlines that would discourage travel to Kenya.

He called on the government to either arrest those behind the violence and take them to court or publicly state that the groups had been disbanded.

“Either those goons should be arrested and taken to court for Kenyans to see, or the President should say they were our goons and we have demobilised them. Then Kenyans will have confidence,” he said.

His latest remarks build on comments he made on July 19, when he urged tourists and foreign investors to suspend visits to Kenya until after the 2027 General Election, citing insecurity and alleged attacks by “goons”.

Those remarks attracted criticism from the Jubilee Party, which described them as economically harmful, and from Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, who maintained that Kenya remains safe, stable and open for tourism and investment.

Kenya’s tourism sector is one of the country’s leading foreign exchange earners and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in hospitality, transport, conservation and related industries. The government has consistently maintained that the country remains a safe destination for visitors despite political disagreements over security.