Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dared President William Ruto’s government to arrest him, even as he defended his utterances in the United States, from where he returned to Kenya after a six-week tour.

Mr Gachagua, who said he had not broken any laws, insisted he remains unapologetic and dismissed Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s calls for him to record a statement for his utterances while in America.

“I promoted the beauty of my motherland, Kenya. I told all who gave me their ear that this is a great country full of opportunities, but being taken down the drain by the excessive regime of President Ruto. I told all that the problem is not Kenya but Ruto. Where is the lie in that? Where is the crime?” he said.

Mr Gachagua, who was impeached in October 2024 after falling out with President Ruto, insisted he was obligated to tell the truth about his former boss’s regime.

“When my audiences asked me what exactly is wrong with President Ruto’s rule, I responded that it abducts and murders our children. I said the regime overtaxes Kenyans, is corrupt, has disorganised health and education models, uses goons to police politics, and is full of wheeler-dealers,” Mr Gachagua said.

He reiterated his comments that he was ready to present evidence to the US Congress, following the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman’s proposal to review Kenya’s designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally within 90 days.

It came just a year after Kenya received the designation, following President Ruto’s first State Visit to the US in May 2024.

The Senator’s proposed review will assess Kenya’s foreign and diplomatic policies, such as its alignment with US rivals China, Russia, and Iran, as well as ties to troublesome armed groups in the region.

“A detailed description of the political and financial links of key political actors and institutions of Kenya with the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and Iran,” the proposal said, adding that Kenya’s use of US security and intelligence support to engage in human rights violations will also be assessed.

Without specifying, Mr Gachagua said he is committed to “partner with all who see the urgency of calling out Nairobi for being home to a global security risk.”

“When the American Congress said it had an interest in knowing if Nairobi murders and abducts children, cooperates with warlords in Sudan, or collaborates with terrorists, I responded that I had insider information that could help in getting the truth. I said I was willing to cooperate fully with any genuine and credible investigation by anyone,” Mr Gachagua said.

He said, “this willingness to help bear President Ruto’s rule’s dalliance with both regional and global security threats might have excited Mr Murkomen, who now feels I meant I was willing to record a statement with him.”

He said the calls for him to record a statement should only be for him to provide details against President Ruto and his close allies on the radar of American investigations.”

“Any other call made outside that bare minimum threshold is noise that I treat contemptuously… and if they feel they can make me cooperate with them by force, then they know all my homes. They know where to find me,” he said.

In what informs how he intends to survive disruptions of his public appearances, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader is now calling vernacular radio stations during prime hours and delivering his messages.

He is also addressing rallies through phones of his ground foot soldiers and using his social media platforms.

Speaking on Kameme FM, Mr Gachagua accused Mr Murkomen of engaging in too many theatrics as if his docket were home to idleness.

He promised to lead a full-blown campaign to make President Ruto a one-term Head of State, citing the numbers in 2022 and how Mt. Kenya “was not selfish” by casting their lot with Dr Ruto then.

“The desperation in Ruto’s camp now sees us withdrawing that support for him, and the best protest word they can hurl our way is tribalism—that we are tribalists to withdraw that support but not tribalists when we were voting for him and Raila Odinga,” Mr Gachagua said.

“If rallying my people to refuse Ruto to a man is tribalism, then we are very proud to be so. The full force of our mission will be felt in 2027.”

In the interview, Mr Gachagua said President Ruto’s government had become so bad that it was a blessing that he had been thrown out.

“Today, I thank God for the blessing of that impeachment. At first I suffered, believing God had forsaken me. Today I know better and I’m sorry for questioning God’s ways. My stature has grown to levels I could not have imagined,” he said.

He posed: “Who would have thought that Gachagua would become a national force and hope to many trying to survive this raging misrule? If I were still the deputy president, what would I be telling you about this shame that is Ruto’s rule?”

His main focus now, he says, is to prepare DCP for the upcoming 24 by-elections.

“I am busy planning for DCP and its involvement in the upcoming by-elections, especially the Mbeere North parliamentary seat. It is very key to our core business as a party. How we perform in the other contests will be important in our 2027 planning,” he said, in reference to the seat left vacant after the appointment of Geoffrey Ruku to the Cabinet.

He downplayed the perception that the opposition went into a lull when he jetted out of the country.

“We are going to meet as opposition principals and review where we are today. We will then pursue our common goals as a team. We are a team of diverse talents. Politics is not about being seen. There are many things that happen behind the scenes,” Mr Gachagua said.

He rejected President Ruto’s invitation for the opposition to challenge him “with a plan,” saying their only big mandate was to have him voted out of office in 2027.

“How can you tell us to tell Kenyans how we will make abductions, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and persecutions better? How can we campaign on the promise of using goons to beat, rob, and harass citizens? How can we promise to continue overtaxing Kenyans and stealing the resources?” Mr Gachagua said.

He added: “Is Ruto serious telling us to tell Kenyans that we will make politics of betrayal and impeachments better? He wants us to promise bettering the rule of bribery to get legislative capture numbers? The only sensible promise we can give Kenyans is that we will make Ruto a one-term president so that we can commence the work of undoing his mess.”

On continued disruption of his public functions by the state and goons, Mr Gachagua issued an ominous warning.

“Anyone in this government who believes that my supporters will continue keeping the peace in the middle of all these persecutions, intimidation, and limitations of our freedoms had better think twice,” he said.