Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat were linked to the recent abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, Gachagua addressed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and said the investigation ordered into the incident would not produce results because the officers involved operated outside Kanja’s command.
Kiprotich was taken by armed men on the evening of September 1 along the Gilgil-Nakuru Road while travelling towards Nakuru. According to the Standard Group, four masked men carrying AK-47 rifles forced him from his vehicle and drove him away in a Subaru that appeared to be a government car fitted with a siren. He was later found safe near Masinga Dam in Machakos County about nine hours later, after seeking help from a nearby household. The media house said this was the second time Kiprotich had been targeted. An earlier attempt occurred on June 27 when armed men tried to seize him from his car in Nakuru, but he managed to drive away.
Gachagua alleged that the National Police Service had been taken over by senior officials including Murkomen and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, with the knowledge of President William Ruto.
He claimed orders were being given directly to DIG Lagat and DCI Director Mohamed Amin. Gachagua said Kiprotich had been placed under 24-hour surveillance by the DCI after a late-night meeting involving the president and Murkomen on Monday evening.
The purpose, he claimed, was to stop the journalist from publishing a report on alleged irregularities in compensation funds.
He further stated that a team led by a retired officer named Zachary Kariuki, who had been recalled by Amin, coordinated the operation.
Gachagua described this group as consisting of about 60 officers and linked them to other past incidents of abductions and killings.
He told Kanja that the IG was leading a service that had become a shell and would eventually be blamed for excesses carried out by others.
The National Police Service denied any role in the abduction. In a statement, spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said Kanja had directed the Anti-Abduction Unit to investigate the identity of the armed men involved.
The Standard Group held the state responsible for Kiprotich’s safety and pointed to the earlier attempted abduction that had not led to any arrests.
Media organisations and human rights groups called for a transparent probe, noting the incident raised serious concerns about press freedom.
Gachagua’s claims form part of a longer pattern of public disputes between him and Murkomen.
The two have previously traded accusations over security matters, alleged use of goons, and control of police operations.
Murkomen has in the past dismissed some of Gachagua’s statements as attention-seeking and has defended Lagat against what he called unfair attacks.
No independent verification of Gachagua’s specific allegations regarding the Kiprotich case has been made public, and the police investigation continues.
The episode has drawn attention to ongoing worries about the safety of journalists in Kenya who report on sensitive government matters. Kiprotich was described by his employer as having been at the forefront of coverage that scrutinised state conduct.
He was found unharmed but shaken, and the Standard Group said it refused to respond to such actions with similar behaviour, instead insisting on accountability through proper channels.
Questions remain about who was behind the abduction and whether those responsible will be identified and held to account.
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