Tanga Tanga MPs accused authorities of politically motivated arrests after Mathira Constituency Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua was detained by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers in Nyeri on July 2021. The group, led by Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata, claimed the actions targeted legislators aligned with Deputy President William Ruto.
Kang'ata criticized perceived legal double standards, citing unprosecuted scandals like the Covid-era billionaire cases. He warned that upcoming arrests of Gachagua and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria—scheduled for July 26, 2021—were retaliation for their electoral success in Kiambaa. "We will not be intimidated," he stated, vowing to defend constituents despite threats.
Gachagua's arrest occurred at dawn when DCI officers detained him at his Nyeri residence before transporting him to Nairobi. Authorities have not disclosed charges or investigative goals. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei linked the operation to a pattern of Friday arrests targeting Ruto allies, referencing historical crackdowns on prominent figures.
Protests erupted in Nyeri as residents blocked roads to protest the detention. Police intervened to disperse crowds and remove roadblocks, escalating tensions over the alleged political persecution of opposition lawmakers.
