Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has dismissed government threats to arrest former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, as preparations intensify for his return from the United States.
Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, Malala said more than 300,000 supporters would gather at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday, August 21, to welcome Gachagua.
The ex-DP is expected to land at noon before leading to a grand procession to Nairobi’s city centre.
“This is more than a welcome. It is a statement to the world that Kenya belongs to her people,” declared Malala.
The remarks come in defiance to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who have demanded that Mr Gachagua appear before investigators.
The former Deputy President is under fire over recent remarks made during his US tour, where he allegedly linked the Kenyan government to terrorist group Al-Shabaab and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Malala dismissed the directive as “pure intimidation,” claiming the accusations are already under scrutiny by the U.S. Senate.
He further alleged a “sinister plot” to sabotage Gachagua’s return—accusing unnamed State actors of plans to harm him, divert his flight to Kisumu or Mombasa, and place him under house arrest.
“Any attempt to interfere with his return will not only fail—it will ignite a nationwide crisis,” warned Malala, urging supporters to remain vigilant.
Gachagua has spent the past two months touring the US, where he launched DCP diaspora offices in Texas and Washington, and held town hall meetings in cities such as Boston, Seattle, and Baltimore.
His trip, described as a “movement-building mission,” attracted enthusiastic crowds and symbolic gestures of support—including a police-escorted welcome in Boston.
Back in Kenya, government officials have questioned Gachagua’s mental state and loyalty to the country.
CS Murkomen even suggested that the former deputy president may require psychiatric evaluation.
Gachagua, unshaken, has brushed off the summons, stating he would only cooperate with international investigators, and that his remarks were rooted in truth.
His early return, he says, is driven by upcoming by-elections and the need to consolidate his growing support base.
