Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has come out guns blazing over the bloodshed that took place on Monday in Ang’ata Barikoi, Narok County.
In a strongly worded statement, Gachagua blamed a clique of greedy politicians for fueling violence to grab land from rightful owners.
At least five people were killed, several injured, and many more displaced in what is quickly being termed a state-sponsored land grab gone rogue.
Gachagua says he has had enough—and he’s ready to name and shame those behind the killings.
Top Politicians Accused of Orchestrating Ang’ata Barikoi Killings
The killings in Ang’ata Barikoi are more than just a tragic footnote in Kenya’s long history of land-related violence. They represent a chilling new chapter in political impunity and unchecked brutality.
On Monday afternoon, residents of Ang’ata Barikoi staged protests after government officials began demarcating a controversial 6,000-acre piece of land.
The land, Gachagua claims, belongs to citizens who have lived there peacefully for decades. Tensions quickly boiled over, and security officers responded with live bullets.
By sundown, five people lay dead. The shooters are believed to be members of the General Service Unit (GSU) and the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU).
Gachagua did not hold back. In his address, he demanded answers: Who gave the shoot-to-kill order? Who deployed these special forces? And more importantly, who stands to benefit from the land seizure?
“This forceful displacement of population is a crime against humanity,” Gachagua declared. “Whoever is culpable must face justice.”
He accused certain leaders of harboring an “insatiable appetite” for land grabbing and wealth accumulation—one that comes at the cost of innocent Kenyan lives.
Without naming names, Gachagua vowed that the masks would soon come off. He is collecting evidence and says those responsible will be publicly exposed and legally pursued.
Brutality and Broken Promises in Ang’ata Barikoi
This tragedy is not happening in isolation. It’s part of a larger pattern of state-enabled land injustices across Kenya. Ang’ata Barikoi is simply the latest battleground.
What makes this case different is the level of force used and the involvement of elite police units in what was essentially a civilian land dispute. Eyewitnesses say officers arrived heavily armed and showed no hesitation in using lethal force to disperse peaceful protestors.
“They came not to protect but to kill,” said one resident who witnessed the clashes. “We were not armed. We were just shouting. Then bullets started flying.”
The question now is why this land issue escalated to bloodshed. Many believe the answer lies in backdoor political deals and a desperate push to transfer land ownership before the 2027 elections.
Local leaders, some whisper, have already cut deals with outside investors who want the land for large-scale agriculture or tourism development.
The silence from top government officials is deafening. Apart from Gachagua, no senior official has condemned the killings. No one has resigned. No one has been arrested. And no one has explained why innocent civilians were met with bullets instead of dialogue.
The outrage is growing. Kenyans on social media are demanding accountability using the hashtag #JusticeForBarikoi. Civil society groups are planning vigils and protests, while lawyers are calling for an independent investigation into the use of force by police.
Time for Truth and Accountability
Rigathi Gachagua is not a political saint. His tenure as Deputy President was not without controversy. But in this moment, his voice is cutting through a storm of state silence and citizen fear.
By vowing to expose the masterminds of the Ang’ata Barikoi killings, Gachagua has thrown down a gauntlet to the current political elite. Will they respond with justice, or will they double down on repression?
What happened in Ang’ata Barikoi is not just a land issue. It is a moral test for Kenya’s democracy. If citizens can be killed over land they’ve lived on for decades—while the powerful remain untouched—then the rule of law means nothing.
The people of Ang’ata Barikoi deserve more than empty condolences. They deserve truth, justice, and the right to live without fear of eviction or execution. As Gachagua said, “We cannot afford, as a nation, to live in dictatorship and brutality.”
