When former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua stood on American soil and accused President William Ruto’s administration of holding secret meetings with Al-Shabaab operatives and financing Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), he did more than stir political controversy.
He walked a dangerous line between opposition politics and national security sabotage.
If Gachagua’s allegations are based on genuine intelligence, then taking such information directly to the international public — rather than to the proper security channels — undermines the very institutions meant to protect Kenyans.
Intelligence, by its nature, is sensitive and often unverified in early stages. Publicly airing it without due process risks tipping off hostile actors, jeopardizing ongoing investigations, and putting lives at risk.
This is not about shielding any leader from scrutiny.
If there is credible evidence that any Kenyan leader is colluding with terrorist networks, it must be investigated thoroughly and impartially — but through institutions, not microphones.
By bypassing Kenyan investigative bodies and declaring his willingness to cooperate only with the American Senate, Gachagua essentially discredits Kenya’s entire security apparatus in the eyes of the world.
The danger is twofold:
First, he hands hostile forces an opportunity to exploit political divisions for their own ends.
Second, he sends a chilling message to Kenya’s allies that our leadership is divided and that sensitive information cannot be handled responsibly within our borders.
National security intelligence is not a political weapon to be deployed on foreign tours. It is a shield — one that requires careful, coordinated use to protect citizens.
In choosing the path of public disclosure rather than structured investigation, Gachagua risks eroding public trust in Kenya’s stability and compromising the very safety he claims to defend.
