Shock as Rigathi Gachagua’s Close Ally Vanishes in Suspected Police Abduction, Family Left in Darkness

In a developing story that has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s political circles, close allies of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua are raising alarm over the sudden disappearance of Peter Kawanjiru, a key political mobiliser in Nyeri County.  

The family of Kawanjiru now claims he was abducted by individuals believed to be police officers in a dramatic and mysterious operation that took place in the early hours of Monday, July 1. 

According to relatives and eyewitnesses, Kawanjiru was forcefully taken from his home in Nyeri by armed men in plain clothes who neither identified themselves nor presented a warrant. His wife, visibly shaken, told reporters that the men did not disclose where they were taking him and have since gone silent, leaving the family and community desperate for answers. 

“He was not resisting. They came in a car with no number plates, said nothing official, and just took him. We are living in fear,” one family member stated. 

The troubling incident has sparked outrage among local leaders aligned with Gachagua, who view the alleged abduction as politically motivated. Some insiders suggest that Kawanjiru’s vocal support of the Deputy President and his involvement in recent political mobilizations could have made him a target. 

“We are seeing a dangerous return of extra-judicial tactics in the name of law enforcement. If Peter Kawanjiru has committed any crime, let him be taken to court, not vanished like this,” said a local MCA sympathetic to Gachagua’s wing. 

The Kenya Police Service has not issued an official statement regarding Kawanjiru’s whereabouts, nor has it confirmed whether he is in custody. Attempts to reach the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Nyeri County Police Command were met with silence. 

The incident comes amid growing tension within Kenya Kwanza’s inner political circles, with Gachagua and his allies feeling increasingly sidelined in national discourse and power arrangements. Some analysts believe the alleged abduction could further fuel internal rifts within the ruling coalition. 

Human rights groups have condemned the incident and called for immediate government transparency. “This is not just about one man. It’s about the growing pattern of intimidation that could silence political dissent in Kenya,” said a statement from the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU). 

As calls for Kawanjiru’s release grow louder, the spotlight is now on the national security agencies and their accountability in upholding the rule of law. For now, his family, and the country, await answers in a case that is becoming emblematic of Kenya’s complex political undercurrents.