Kihika Hits Back At Gachagua Over ‘Malicious’ Claims Against Spouse

By Suleiman Mbatiah

Governor Susan Kihika has come out guns blazing to defend her spouse, businessman Sam Mburu, accusing former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua of blackmail and intimidation after Mburu declined proposed business partnerships.

Kihika said Gachagua’s claims that she and her husband mobilised goons and police to disrupt an opposition tour of Nakuru County were false, malicious and driven by a business deal gone sour.

The exchange followed Gachagua’s accusation that his planned February tour of Nakuru, by the United Opposition brigade, faced deliberate obstruction by police allegedly acting on instructions from individuals linked to the governor.

In a lengthy statement, Rigathi Gachagua accused the National Police Service of abandoning neutrality and surrendering operational control in Nakuru to political and business interests.

“Under your command, the police will never disrupt public meetings or stop leaders from engaging members of the public,” Gachagua said, referring to assurances he claimed were given by the Inspector-General during a January meeting.

He alleged that police mounted a roadblock at Karati River to block his entourage from entering Nakuru from Nyandarua County, preventing a rally at Kinamba Trading Centre in Naivasha.

“Yesterday the busybody ordered the Nakuru County Commander to erect a road block at Karati River and stop my entourage from entering Nakuru County,” Gachagua said, accusing police of harassment and political interference.

Gachagua further claimed that masked officers deployed four police vehicles and only withdrew after crowds protested, insisting the Naivasha police command had a history of disrupting his meetings.

Kihika dismissed the accusations as reckless and defamatory, insisting neither she nor her spouse controls the police or interferes with political activities in the county.

“Whom the gods want to destroy, they first make mad. Mr Gachagua, you are losing it,” Kihika said in a sharply worded response accusing the former DP of directly and maliciously targeting her husband.

Kihika said Gachagua appeared fixated on her spouse after he declined what she described as attempts to blackmail and extort him for a so-called protection fee, as had allegedly happened to other businessmen from the Mt Kenya region.

Kihika said Gachagua and his son had sought business partnerships with her spouse, including a proposed sugar importation deal, but after Mburu declined, the former deputy president allegedly turned hostile..

Kihika also rejected claims that Gachagua was blocked from addressing residents, saying he freely accessed Kinamba and chose to focus his speech on personal attacks rather than policy issues.

She said Gachagua used nearly his entire Naivasha address to attack her and her spouse, arguing that he failed to present any agenda, policy direction, or concrete proposals on how he would govern the country.

The governor said Nakuru remains open to all leaders, regardless of political affiliation, but warned against incitement and ethnic rhetoric during public engagements.

“For the avoidance of doubt, you are welcome to come to Nakuru anytime. However, your hobby of incitement and bad manners should be checked at the county’s entrance,” she said.