Member of Parliament for Wajir East, Aden Daud Mohamed, has strongly criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over what he termed reckless and inflammatory remarks allegedly targeting the Somali community.
He warned that such statements risk undermining national cohesion and reviving ethnic tensions.
In a statement issued on Monday, January 5, 2026, the legislator said Gachagua had made unsubstantiated claims alleging that fraudulently acquired funds from Minnesota in the United States were being channelled into Kenya to construct shopping malls and finance political campaigns.
Mohamed dismissed the claims as baseless and dangerous.
“The former Deputy President, who was impeached, has once again made reckless and inflammatory remarks through unsubstantiated allegations against the Somali community,” the MP said.
He added that the accusations were entirely devoid of evidence and amounted to dangerous ethnic profiling.
Mohamed linked the remarks to what he described as a consistent pattern of divisive rhetoric that previously led to Gachagua’s impeachment by both Houses of Parliament in October 2024.
He noted that the former deputy president had been removed from office on several grounds, including violations of the Constitution through ethnically divisive politics and statements deemed to threaten national unity.
“His latest utterances echo the very pattern of reckless, divisive, and ethnically laced rhetoric that directly contributed to his historic impeachment,” the MP said.
The Wajir East legislator noted that the renewed focus on the Somali community risks reigniting ethnic tensions, particularly given the long-standing social and economic ties between Somalis and other communities, including the Kikuyu.
“There is no inherent conflict between them, and any attempt to manufacture one serves only to undermine the unity that is the bedrock of our Republic,” he said.
He stressed that any allegations of wrongdoing should be handled through lawful investigations targeting individuals rather than entire communities.
“Individual wrongdoing, wherever it occurs and by whomever it is committed, must be investigated and prosecuted through lawful channels without generalising to an entire ethnic group,” Mohamed said.
The MP defended investments by Kenyans of Somali origin, saying they reflect entrepreneurship and contribution to national development rather than evidence of criminal activity.
He called on political leaders to exercise restraint and responsibility in public discourse and urged authorities to remain vigilant against incitement.
“Kenya belongs to all of us, and we must guard jealously against those who seek to fracture it for narrow political gain,” he said.
The legislator’s remarks came a day after Gachagua, on Sunday, claimed that President William Ruto was shielding alleged drug barons within his Cabinet and protecting individuals suspected of being behind the Minnesota fraud scheme linked to Kenya.
Speaking during a church service at AIPCA Kiratina in Kiambu County, Gachagua alleged that the same individuals linked to the Minnesota scandal were still benefiting from government contracts, to the detriment of local farmers.
“On the issue of Minnesota, money was stolen, and the people involved are business partners of the President. The owner of the mall in Eastleigh is the one behind that scheme. We are asking you, Trump, not to bother with the extradition process in Kenya—do what you did in Venezuela—because Ruto has said that the man should not be handed over here,” he said.
Gachagua further called on the United States to launch a probe into Kenya’s leadership.
Earlier on Monday, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui expressed alarm at what he described as reckless political conduct following Mr. Gachagua’s statement.
He cautioned that dragging foreign governments into domestic political disputes could have far-reaching consequences for the country.
The Cabinet Secretary faulted the DCP leader for seeking external intervention despite having previously been part of the same political formation he now targets.
“The DCP leader has been quoted requesting the intervention of the USA to investigate Kenya’s leadership over allegations of sponsorship through funds linked to the Minnesota fraud case. Never mind that it is the very party for which he was the running mate,” Kinyanjui said.
Kinyanjui said the request reflected poor judgment and a dangerous failure to separate political rivalries from issues of international gravity.
“While the province of investigations does not belong to me, the sheer lack of wisdom in failing to distinguish between political differences and matters of grave international significance is alarming,” he stated.
The Cabinet Secretary questioned the motive behind the call, suggesting it was driven by personal vendetta rather than national interest.
