Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has announced that should he be elected, he will scrap the shooting directives issued by the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, and President William Ruto.

While speaking during a church service in Nyeri on Sunday, September 14, 2025, he stated that it would be among the initial plans after assuming the high office.

He specifically pointed out the order issued by the president, the shoot-on-the-leg order, saying that he will rescind it.

“Rigathi Gachagua will rescind the order by William Ruto to shoot on the leg,” he vowed.

He went on to express his disappointment with how instances of insecurity around Nairobi town have recently surged, with gangs armed with knives robbing people in broad daylight, saying that if he assumes power, such instances will be a thing of the past.

“We also want to restore our security. In Nairobi at 6:30 pm, you can’t walk around; people with guns and knives are robbing people in broad daylight. They are all over.” He added.

“These gangs are used to doing politics, and now that politics is over, they have to make a living; those gangs will be dismantled and security restored.”

He also reacted to the recent assassination of lawyer Kyalo Mbobu, who was shot 8 times by assassins in Nairobi, saying that the legal counsel was his neighbour, attributing the incident to escalating cases of insecurity in the city.

“A few days ago, you saw my neighbour in Karen, who was shot 8 times by professional killers. People are so scared in the country; you don’t know who has been paid to harm you,” Gachagua recounted.

Housing levy

Other than security issues, the former deputy president promised to restore the dignity of the payslip by scrapping the housing levy, something that, according to Gachagua, has made them lack purchasing power.

He further stated that after the scrapping of the housing levy that was put in place by the current regime and the units being given to counties for management, the counties will collect rent from the houses and pay back the money collected to any Kenyan who has been contributing to the said fund.

He went ahead to express his fury at how the payslip of Kenyans has been raided by the current regime, with their salaries being deducted by the tax man, saying that as things stand now, Kenyans have no purchasing power.

“I will restore the dignity of the payslip on the first day by scrapping the housing levy and handing over all those houses to the county governments to manage them and collect rent and pay rent to all those whose money was deducted,” Gachagua said.