Former Deputy President and DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua has publicly criticized Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing him of failing to take real steps to combat the sale of illegal alcohol and drug abuse in Kenya. In a direct message posted Thursday, July 31, on his X account, Gachagua called Murkomen’s efforts a “waste of time,” claiming the government was giving Kenyans false hope while dangerous brews continued to circulate.
“CS Interior, you are wasting your time and enjoying the people of Kenya and treating them as fools,” Gachagua wrote. “While in office, I put practical measures to curb illicit alcohol and check drug abuse.”
DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua said his year-long campaign during his time in government had shut down illegal distilleries, restored order in hard-hit communities, and raised tax collections from legal alcohol sales. According to him, youth returned home, started families, and rejoined the economy due to those interventions.
DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua accused CS Murkomen and other government officials of dismantling those efforts. Without naming names, Gachagua claimed that Murkomen’s Principal Secretary revived operations of distilleries that had been closed due to safety violations and illegal production.
“Your PS personally looked for manufacturers of illicit alcohol that we had shut down and authorized them to continue manufacturing and distributing poison,” Gachagua posted.
The former Deputy President and DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua further alleged that the government ended a youth rehabilitation initiative spearheaded by the Deputy President’s spouse, cutting off critical funding that supported addiction recovery centers nationwide.
DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua also questioned the credibility of President William Ruto’s government in the fight against drug trafficking, asking how senior officials linked to narcotics trade could remain in office while the administration claims to fight the vice.
“Mr. Murkomen, drama and loftiness won’t help. We have sufficient laws and regulations. Implement them. Spare Kenyans the joke and get to work,” he stated.
CS Murkomen has not yet issued a public response to Gachagua’s remarks. The Interior Ministry has faced growing pressure over rising cases of alcohol-related deaths and a resurgence of unlicensed production across counties.
DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua’s comments add to the mounting criticism from political leaders and civil society groups demanding enforcement rather than statements from state officials. As the government faces renewed scrutiny over the effectiveness of its anti-narcotics strategy, the spotlight now falls squarely on Interior CS Murkomen to prove that action not rhetoric will guide policy in the fight against illicit brews.
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