Gachagua Wades Into Richard Otieno’s Murder Incident With Attack on Govt

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday condemned the attack of Molo Activist Richard Otieno who was hacked to death by unknown assailants on Saturday.

Through his official X handle, Gachagua called for investigations to be hastened to ensure the perpetrators behind the heinous attacks are arrested and convicted.

The former deputy president faulted the government over its silence on the matter urging for swift action to be taken. “The Government of Kenya cannot afford to sit on the fence on this matter,” he warned.

He mourned the death of the activist calling for tolerance in the country stating that the murder of Otieno epitomizes the decision by the ruling administration to quell opposition in the country.

“As we mourn the death of this promising young man, who was a great human rights defender and champion, we call for justice. His killers must be brought to book come what may,” Gachagua asserted.

Gachagua, who has become a fierce critic of the government, warned that the level of political intolerance and repression is reaching unproportionate and alarming levels that cannot be taken lightly.

“The gruesome and brutal murder of Richard Otieno of Molo over the weekend is a clear testimony of another strategy of infusing fear among Kenyans in a pathetic and archaic strategy to silence government critics after failed abductions,” Gachagua lamented.

“How can a great Nation like Kenya slip into the trenches of a failed State where children and women have no breathing space?” he wondered.

Gachagua, at the same time, commiserated with the family of Otieno praising him for standing for justice in Molo.

“To the family of Raymond Otieno and the people of Molo, I share in your pain and grief. My deepest sympathies to you all,” he shared.

Equally, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino criticized the government in what he termed as an attempt to submerge justice and shelter the perpetrator behind the attack.

“There is no need for the DCI to investigate the gruesome death of Richard Otieno from Molo constituency since the killer is well known,” he shared.

“Let the leader take responsibility for killing this young man (Otieno). He should be charged for murdering Richard,” Owino added.

Otieno was brutally murdered by unknown assailants on his way home from a bar on Saturday night. It is reportedly the robbers hit him on the buckhead with an axe which resulted in the activist’s death on the spot.