Gachagua Vows Exposé On Killing Of 7 In Ang'ata Barikoi Clashes
Gachagua began expressing his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the clashes, as well as sympathising with those injured in the violence
Marvin Chege 
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday, April 28 vowed to unleash the identities of those responsible for the deadly clashes between police officers and civilians in Ang'ata Barikoi, Narok County.
Gachagua, in a statement on his social media platforms, began expressing his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the clashes as well as sympathising with those injured in the violence, reported to have stemmed from a dispute regarding a piece of land belonging to citizens who have been occupying it for several decades.
He voiced anger over the "uncontrollable greed" of certain leaders for land grabbing and amassing wealth, warning that Kenya faces a growing threat of sliding further into lawlessness and authoritarian rule.
Photo of spent cartridges and teargas canisters collected following the Ang'ata Barikoi clashes. /FILE
"What kind of insatiable appetite is this by a section of leaders for the primitive accumulation of grabbed land and wealth, can our Nation sink into?" he posed, adding "The sanctity and preciousness of human life, which is a gift from God, seems to have been thrown to the dogs by vicious autocrats."
He also connected the violence in Ang’ata Barikoi to a troubling trend of state brutality, citing the deaths of young people during the Gen Z protests from June-August 2024.
Gachagua condemned the community’s forced displacement as a "crime against humanity" and pledged to collect evidence and publicly expose those behind the violence. Per his statement, the police who clashed with the civilians did not act on their own terms.
"Who gave shoot-to-kill orders and archaic brutality on women, children, and innocent civilians? Who deployed GSU and RDU officers to exercise unlawful, lethal, and bullish police force on innocent Kenyans in Ang'ata?" he posed.
"This forceful displacement of population is a crime against humanity, and whoever is culpable must face crimes against humanity. I am gathering evidence and information on this matter, and we will name and shame those responsible for this heinous act. We can not afford, as a nation, to live in dictatorship and brutality when the world is on a trajectory to prosperity and the greatness of its citizens."
Gachagua's remarks came hours after Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed that investigations are in progress to determine the sequence of events that led to the violent confrontations between authorities and civilians.
The Cabinet Secretary, who spent most of his day with security teams from areas affected by banditry, reported that at least five police officers suffered serious injuries, allegedly at the hands of civilians.
Murkomen also stated that he had received reports of five police vehicles being set on fire during the unrest.
"Let me start by saying that this is a sad occurrence for us because it is our duty to ensure that lives are protected. These issues should not lead to the loss of life," Murkomen said. "From the information we have, 5 civilians have lost their lives and 5 police officers have been injured. One of the officers has a critical injury with an arrow to his head."
Murkomen noted that although investigations had not yet begun, everyone involved in the tragic incident, including police officers, would be held responsible.
He added, "Investigations are not yet done because we need to establish the circumstances in which the 5 officers died. We need to know whether police were involved and what warranted that kind of force."
"Investigations will also establish the persons who perpetrated these acts against the police officers. We will also deal with every person involved in inciting violence and prompting the use of force."
