By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya , August 6, 2026 - The political rivalry between Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua intensified on Thursday after the security chief launched a blistering attack on the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader, accusing him of incitement, ethnic mobilisation and orchestrating a campaign to undermine national security.
In a hard-hitting statement, Murkomen said he had watched with "concern and shock" Gachagua's recent public pronouncements, alleging they were intended to sow division, incite violence and pressure politicians into joining the DCP.
"I have been following with concern and shock Rigathi Gachagua's public pronouncements and talks in recent days," Murkomen said.
"His daily diatribe, interspersed with vitriol, misogyny, lies, ethnic jingoism and hate, are carefully crafted to sow division, incite violence, extort and bully politicians to join his party and cement his imaginary status as a regional kingpin."
Murkomen dismissed the notion of political kingpinship, saying such a position "neither exists in the Constitution nor in our socio-cultural setups."
The Cabinet Secretary accused Gachagua of using public forums at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri County to launch relentless attacks against him under the guise of criticizing the country's security situation.
"Addressing delegations to his rural home, which he retreated to after his self-inflicted fall, he besmirches my name daily in the name of criticizing security failures, while in the real sense, he is trying to divert my attention away from the clandestine criminal activities that he executes through his lieutenants," Murkomen claimed.
He further alleged that after failing to distract him through direct criticism, Gachagua had enlisted political allies from the Rift Valley to intensify attacks against him.
"After realizing that his attacks were not enough to shake my resolve, he has now changed tack and activated his sleeper cell of political accomplices from Rift Valley to aid him in his nefarious plot," he said.
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Murkomen also linked accusations recently raised against him in Parliament and at public gatherings to what he termed a coordinated political scheme.
"It is no coincidence that Gachagua was today amplifying the false accusations made against me by his co-conspirators in Parliament and public gatherings early in the week," he said.
Warning Kenyans against what he described as Gachagua's political agenda, the Interior CS said, "Kingpinship is a vacuous title and the sole preoccupation of idle minds. I urge the people to beware of this latest plot twist in Gachagua's malignant influence."
Despite the escalating political exchanges, Murkomen said he would remain focused on his constitutional mandate.
"I remain steadfast and unwavering in discharging my duties and, when time allows, will join wananchi in any part of the country in worship and other social activities as usual," he said.
The latest exchange underscores the deepening fallout between the Kenya Kwanza administration and Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for Citizens Party after his exit from government.
The former Deputy President has mounted sustained attacks on the administration in recent months, while senior government officials have increasingly accused him of stoking political tensions as the country edges closer to the 2027 General Election.