By Judy Maina {Judy.Maina@alleastafrica.com}
NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticized President William Ruto’s recent public apology to Kenyan youth over past protest crackdowns, labeling it as insufficient and lacking sincerity.
Speaking at a church service in Lari, Kiambu County, Gachagua urged the President to engage directly with the families of victims and to implement tangible measures for justice and compensation.
“I saw Ruto giving an apology in a very casual manner,” Gachagua stated. “If he is serious about making an apology to those who were abducted, he should invite the parents of these children.”
Gachagua’s remarks come in the wake of President Ruto’s apology during the National Prayer Breakfast, where he addressed the youth, saying, “To our children, if there has been any misstep, we apologize.”
However, the former deputy president contends that such a general statement fails to acknowledge the specific grievances and losses suffered by families during the 2023 and 2024 protests.
Highlighting the case of Billy Mwangi, a young Kenyan who disappeared toward the end of 2024, Gachagua emphasized the need for the President to offer a personal apology and compensation to Mwangi’s parents.
He also called for compensation for victims of the recent night inferno in Gachie village, Kiambu County, which claimed the lives of three people.
Gachagua’s stance aligns with that of opposition leader Raila Odinga, who, during the 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay, also called for compensation for families affected by the protests.
“We should compensate the families of those who died and those who were injured so that we can have a closure of this chapter of our nation’s history,” Odinga stated.
Despite these calls, President Ruto has remained silent on the issue of compensation, focusing instead on unveiling the “Lipa SHA pole pole” initiative, a new payment model for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), during the Madaraka Day celebrations.
Human rights organizations have reported significant casualties during the protests, with Amnesty International noting that at least 60 protesters were killed and 600 arrested during the anti-Finance Bill protests.
Additionally, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported 82 cases of abductions in 2024 alone, with only 29 successfully resolved.
