Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has issued an explosive statement alleging that the abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich was directly orchestrated by top government officials to suppress an investigative exposé on the Mau Forest compensation scheme.
Kiprotich was intercepted on the Gilgil-Nakuru highway by armed, masked men on September 1, 2026, before being released several hours later near Masinga Dam. Addressing the issue in a statement directed at Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Gachagua claimed that the abduction was tied to the journalist’s upcoming investigation into alleged financial fraud surrounding government compensation for displaced Mau Forest evictees.
Gachagua alleged Kiprotich was preparing a story detailing how millions of shillings intended for evicted families were diverted to brokers and proxies through senior government figures.
The former Deputy President claimed a late-night meeting involving President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen resulted in directives to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to halt the report.
Gachagua alleged DCI Director Mohamed Amin placed Kiprotich under 24-hour surveillance using a specialized unit led by a recalled, retired officer. He further claimed the original plot was to eliminate the journalist, but public exposure of the incident forced the team to abandon the plan.
Terming Inspector General Kanja a “flower girl” with no real command, Gachagua dismissed the ongoing police probe into the incident as a sham, arguing that the police service cannot independently investigate orders originating from top leadership.
While the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed its Anti-Abduction Unit is investigating the incident and promised transparency, neither the State House nor the Ministry of Interior has officially responded to Gachagua’s specific accusations.
