Rigathi Gachagua Slams Kaguchia Arrest, Accuses Ruto Admin of Political Persecution

• Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticized the arrest of Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia, accusing the government of using selective law enforcement to target political opponents.
• Gachagua argued that repeated arrests of opposition figures will only increase public sympathy for those targeted and strengthen the opposition's resolve.
• The use of the criminal justice system to manage politics is synonymous with outgoing, cowardly regimes, according to Gachagua.
• President Ruto's own experience during the 2022 General Election campaign shows that this approach can have an unintended effect, as seen in the case of his allies who were arrested and emerged with stronger public support.

The use of the criminal justice system to manage politics is synonymous with outgoing, cowardly regimes.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sounded the alarm on the Ruto administration's use of selective law enforcement, arguing that it will only deepen political divisions and strengthen the opposition. This approach is not new to Kenya, as previous administrations have employed similar tactics with little success. The Jubilee administration under former President Uhuru Kenyatta frequently relied on arrests and criminal investigations to silence dissent and compel support for its preferred political agenda, but ultimately failed. Gachagua warned that repeated arrests of opposition figures will only increase public sympathy for those targeted, potentially leading to stronger public support and a more resilient opposition. In fact, history has shown that this approach can have the opposite effect, as seen in President Ruto's own experience during the 2022 General Election campaign.

Gachagua accused the government of employing investigative agencies to settle political scores rather than uphold the rule of law. He claimed that this approach is synonymous with outgoing, cowardly regimes and will only serve to weaken the opposition's resolve. The use of the criminal justice system to manage politics has been a hallmark of previous administrations, but it has consistently failed to achieve its intended goals. In fact, Gachagua argued that this approach can have an unintended effect, as seen in the case of President Ruto's own allies who were arrested during the 2022 campaign and emerged with stronger public support. This raises questions about whether occupying the presidency fundamentally changes political leaders' thinking and reasoning.

Gachagua drew parallels between the current administration's actions and President Ruto's own experience as Deputy President, when he publicly criticized the use of State agencies against his allies. At the time, Ruto wondered aloud how foolish the system was, but now as President, he is presiding over a similar approach to handling political dissent. Gachagua questioned whether this change in behavior is due to the power and influence that comes with occupying the presidency. He accused President Ruto of abandoning the principles he once championed and called for closer public scrutiny of the issue.

Lawyers representing opposition figures should be aware that the government's use of selective law enforcement and arrests may have an unintended effect of increasing public sympathy for those targeted, potentially leading to stronger public support and a more resilient opposition.

Source: Original reporting via [Source]