Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has come out to deny claims that he played a role in orchestrating the nationwide protests held on Wednesday, June 25, by Gen Z.

During a live interview with NTV Kenya on Friday, June 27, Gachagua broke his silence, defending himself against accusations from both Kenya Kwanza and ODM leaders who linked him to the unrest.

The June 25 protests, held to honour young people who were killed during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, erupted in more than 24 counties.

Demonstrators poured into the streets demanding government accountability, better living conditions, and an end to police brutality.

The protests were largely organised by Gen Z activists through digital platforms and were marked by their spontaneous, decentralised nature.

Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) and has recently styled himself as an opposition voice, said he deliberately kept away from the protests.

The former DP explained that he was following the proceedings on TV until media houses were ordered to stop the live stream.

Gachagua reaffirmed his belief that there is a need for Gen Z and other Kenyan demographics to find justice for excesses by the government and security agencies.

"I was just here in the house. I was in my house here the whole day. I was watching on TV until they stopped the live stream. I didn't want to join the protests," he revealed.

He further explained that the Gen Z movement had, from the outset, asked political and senior leaders to stay away from their cause.

According to him, their message was clear: they didn’t want to be co-opted or claimed by any political faction.

"First and foremost, during the 2024 protests, the Gen Z asked us, the leaders, the elders, to keep off the protests. And that is as it should be because they don't want to be owned by anybody because they are not at the direction of anybody. They are not financed by anybody. These are our young people who are bright, who are intelligent, who are innovative, who are doing their own things," he observed.

The former DP dismissed allegations that he funded the chaos, arguing that his physical presence on the streets would have only fuelled such accusations.

"I think if I had turned up in the streets on Wednesday, it would have given credit to those very ridiculous accusations that I'm the one who finances Gen Z. I deliberately kept off because the Gen Z had asked us to keep off. Again, I have nothing to do with it," he said.

Gachagua maintained that while he supports the youth morally and believes in their cause, he played no role in mobilising, organising, or financing the protests.

He praised the Gen Z-led movement for being non-partisan, non-tribal, and issue-driven, calling it a patriotic civic effort to put Kenya back on the right track.

"I'm not their leader. I'm not their financier. I just support them morally, you know. I am in support of their cause. And it is leaderless. It is tribeless. It is not political. It is something by our young people, as part of their patriotic duty and civic duty, to have the country, you know, run in the right direction," he added.

Source: TUKO.co.ke