Ruto using snipers, security forces to kill Kenyan youths horrific to watch: Vice-President’s Wife

“The past few days have been extraordinarily painful for any mother,” she wrote.

Ahmed Oluwasanjo • June 27, 2024

Dorcas Rigathi, wife of Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, says it is horrific to see Kenyan police under President William Ruto’s watch unleash mayhem on protesters.

“Yesterday, we watched in horror as children and fathers struggled to find dialogue, marking one of the saddest days for us all,” Mrs Rigathi, a pastor, said, referring to the police killing of anti-Finance Bill protesters on the streets of Nairobi on Tuesday.

In a post on her official X handle on Wednesday, Mrs Rigathi commisrated with families of those killed during the protest, describing the massacre of anti-Finance Bill protesters in past few days by Kenyan police as “extraordinarily painful.”

“The past few days have been extraordinarily painful for any mother. It was a unique and challenging situation, and mothers across the nation prayed fervently for reason to prevail,” Mrs Rigathi said.

Responding to Mrs Rigathi’s post on X, some Kenyan said she is part of the problem of the country, asking her to refund allowances voted to her unconstitutional office.

“You’re the problem. Why is your unconstitutional office being funded, @ArchLibwege said, while another X user, @Juma_Shile said “Return all those allowances mumetuibia na bwanako ndo ata Mungu akusikie… We never employed you by the way.”

Mrs Rigathi’s sober statement contradicts Mr Ruto’s own. After protests against the tax hike bill turned bloody as police shot at protesters, killing 23, Mr Ruto, in a live broadcast, without sparing thoughts and words for those killed, labelled the protest a “treasonous event.”

Prior to his broadcast, Aden Bare Duale, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for defence, deployed Kenyan Defence Forces to support police in quelling the demonstrations.

Lamenting the staggering number of casualties during the protest as a result of police clampdown and attacks, Amnesty International accused Mr Ruto of inciting massacre and deploying snipers to shoot down protesters.

The human rights organisation said Mr Ruto should be tried at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.