The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has accused Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji, a known ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, of financing and coordinating violent disruptions during the recent anti-government protests in Juja. According to the DCI, the chaos witnessed during the “Gen Z” Saba Saba demonstrations was not entirely spontaneous but a calculated operation involving paid thugs masquerading as protesters.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin revealed that investigations had uncovered a “well-orchestrated and well-funded” plot to turn otherwise peaceful demonstrations into violent uprisings. During a press briefing on Tuesday, Amin alleged that MP Mukunji was among political figures who hired and deployed goons to infiltrate youth-led protests in Juja, Kiambu County.
“These weren’t just angry youths on the streets,” said Amin. “They were coordinated, equipped, and paid to cause disruption, burn tires, clash with police, and portray the country as being on the brink of collapse.”
The DCI claims to have obtained compelling evidence including mobile money transactions, call logs, and testimonies from arrested suspects directly linking Mukunji to payments made to groups of men recruited from Juja, Roysambu, and parts of Embakasi.
According to the DCI report, the alleged goons were transported using boda bodas and small vans, given instructions to confront police, barricade roads, and escalate violence to provoke a heavy-handed government response.
One arrested suspect reportedly told investigators, “We were promised KSh 2,000 each and told the police had been informed not to touch us.” Others admitted that they were paid by “political coordinators” linked to Mukunji’s team.
The DCI has not yet publicly disclosed the full scope of its forensic evidence but confirmed that the file has been handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further legal action.
The accusations against Mukunji also dragged in Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s former Deputy President, and now a vocal critic of President Ruto’s administration. Amin stated that some elements of the operation were allegedly planned “with knowledge or involvement” of senior political leaders, hinting at possible prosecution of high-profile figures.
“If the evidence leads to any individual, regardless of their former or current political office, we shall proceed with the law,” Amin added. “No one is above the law.”
Gachagua has denied all accusations, dismissing them as political intimidation.
“If I truly financed goons and caused chaos, why haven’t they arrested me?” Gachagua questioned during a recent media interview. “This is nothing but a political witch hunt.”
The revelations have sparked political uproar, with critics accusing the government of weaponizing law enforcement to silence opposition voices. However, others have called for full accountability, insisting that the infiltration of peaceful protests by criminals poses a grave threat to Kenya’s democracy.
Civil society groups have urged transparency in the investigations, while legal experts warn against the misuse of anti-terror and incitement laws to settle political scores.
Meanwhile, Mukunji remains in police custody following his arrest on July 7 and was presented at the Kahawa Anti-Terror Court on July 9. It remains unclear whether formal charges will be filed or whether he will be released on bail.
His lawyers argue that the case lacks merit, and that no direct evidence has been presented in court tying him to violence.
This is not the first time Kenyan authorities have pointed to the use of “paid goons” to disrupt protests. Earlier reports from Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa indicated that youth were hired for as little as KSh 1,000–2,000 to join demonstrations, intimidate protesters, and in some cases, loot businesses.
A confidential source within the DCI told this publication that similar patterns were observed in the lead-up to the Juja incidents, with funds moving between political operatives and ground coordinators days before the protest.
The DPP is expected to review the DCI’s file and determine whether to charge Mukunji and possibly others involved. The Kahawa court may decide on Mukunji’s bail status in the coming days. More politicians could be questioned or charged as investigations widen.
Whether these allegations lead to convictions or further political divisions remains to be seen—but what’s certain is that the line between protest and provocation is under serious national scrutiny.
