Gachagua: Viral Subarus Belong To NIS, Not DCI

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that the heavily armed convoy riding in unmarked Subaru vehicles that descended on several protest hotspots during Monday, July 7’s Saba Saba demonstrations operated under the direction of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Reiterating his remarks regarding the existence of a killer squad in the police service formed under President William Ruto's orders, Gachagua on Wednesday, July 9, during a media address, alleged that the squad was operating under the guise of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), thus pinning blame on the investigative agency for the terror they unleashed on citizens on July 7.

"A killer squad of 101 that works under the Director-General of the NIS was armed with assault rifles and drove in a convoy of unmarked Subarus, shooting and killing innocent protesters aimlessly in the streets and estates. This squad in Subarus, hooded and masked against court orders, are disguising themselves as DCI officers, yet we know they are not," he stated.

An individual arrested by plain clothes officers in an unmarked Subaru at Jogoo Road, Nairobi, Kenya. /ZOOM AFRIKA

"I'd like to clarify that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) has procured Subaru vehicles to give the impression that this killer gang is part of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The truth of the matter is, this has nothing to do with the DCI; this is the NIS. This squad of 101 people was formed when I was still in government."

He added that those officers were recruited from the Administration Police (AP) unit for special training by NIS on abductions, killings and cover-ups. He added, "This is the squad that is killing the people of Kenya."

Phone footage captured in Kiserian, Kajiado North, showed a convoy of at least ten high-performance vehicles—mostly Subaru Outbacks—moving in a tight, organised formation. The occupants, masked and clad in balaclavas, carried high-powered firearms with fully loaded magazines, indicating they were geared for combat. The operation, according to an exposé done by Citizen TV, appeared well-coordinated and highly tactical.

In nearby Ngong town, more footage surfaced showing the same group firing live rounds, with gunshots echoing moments before lifeless bodies were seen sprawled across the road. The unit moved with military-like discipline, and one unarmed individual seen giving orders strongly suggested a structured chain of command.

Their sweep left multiple casualties across various areas: two deaths reported in Kangemi, three in Ngong, one in Kitengela, one in Kamukunji, and two more along Jogoo Road. Despite being heavily armed, the squad made no evident attempts to carry out arrests, save for a single incident where two individuals were violently beaten and shoved into a vehicle.

The unit's striking similarity to the controversial rapid response teams used during the June 2024 anti-government protests—especially in Mlolongo, Syokimau, Embakasi, and Kitengela—has raised serious alarm. Those earlier squads were accused of unlawful killings and excessive force.

The National Police Service has yet to comment on the identity of the group. However, the use of unmarked vehicles, lack of police insignia, and masked faces pointed to a calculated effort to avoid traceability. Public outrage is growing, with urgent calls for investigations into possible extra-judicial killings.

Meanwhile, at the press briefing, Gachagua claimed that during the Saba Saba protests, a special police unit was primarily stationed in the Mt Kenya region and other areas seen as unsupportive of the current administration.

He went on to accuse President Ruto of allegedly hiring thugs to vandalise and loot businesses, particularly in Central Kenya, stating that these individuals were deployed hours before the July 7 demonstrations.

The former Deputy President further alleged that these state-sponsored groups were strategically placed and operated under the watch of the NPS.

"On the fateful day, this state-sponsored militia, under the instruction of the police, was dropped in different places in the country and mostly in the Mt Kenya region," Gachagua claimed.

He added, "The militia was strategically dropped past midnight, and then roadblocks were erected by the police. They were procured by Ruto, Governors, and MPs allied to him."