‘We Are Living Like Refugees’: Gachagua Accuses Ruto, Ichung’wah of Intimidating Kikuyu Community

Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah of intimidating the Kikuyu community, alleging that state interference has reached churches and threatens freedom of worship.

Speaking at a Sunday service at PCEA Kamangu in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, on November 1, 2026, Gachagua accused Ichung’wah of helping Ruto persecute people from the region and harm local businesses.

“You have caused enough damage to this community. You have assisted William Ruto to persecute your kinsmen. You have destroyed our businesses so that we are living like refugees in our own country,” Gachagua said.

He also accused Ichung’wah of being used to attack political leaders, including retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Gachagua alleged that political interference had extended to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), claiming church leaders had threatened a parish minister for welcoming him to the service.

“Sasa tumefika hapo ya kwamba Ruto ameingilia kila kitu mpaka kanisa mahali tunaenda kuomba Mungu,” he said.

Translation: (Now we have reached the point where Ruto has interfered in everything, even the church where we go to pray to God.)

“You even want now to dictate vile tutakaa kanisani. Hii ni mambo ambayo hatuwezi,” he added.

(You even want now to dictate how we will sit in church. These are things we cannot accept.)

Gachagua said he and his allies would seek political change in the 2027 General Election and predicted that the alleged intimidation would end after the vote.

“I am clear in my mind; as day is clear from night, we are going to liberate this country next year,” he said.

He named August 10, 2027, as the date by which he expected interference in the church to end. He also said he would write to the PCEA Moderator of the General Assembly, asking him to protect the parish minister from harassment.

“William Ruto huwezi leta mambo ya ukoloni katika Jamhuri ya Kenya. Mambo ya kanisa ukome kuingilia,” Gachagua said.

(William Ruto, you cannot bring colonial-style practices into the Republic of Kenya. Stop interfering in church matters.)

The former deputy president further accused Ruto of taking Mt Kenya’s political support for granted, asking whether the president would have won without votes from the region.

Gachagua also said he would continue defending the community’s identity despite being labelled tribal.

“Nitasimama na heshima ya jamii ya Mlima Kenya (I will stand with the dignity of the Mt Kenya community). I will not allow anybody to intimidate the Kikuyu nation,” he said.

He further called for respect for Kenyatta and warned against what he described as attempts to undermine the former president and his family.

The post ‘We Are Living Like Refugees’: Gachagua Accuses Ruto, Ichung’wah of Intimidating Kikuyu Community appeared first on Nairobi Wire.