Women Members of Parliament have accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of repeatedly targeting women leaders and women linked to politicians, saying his conduct and remarks amount to gender based political violence.
Speaking at a joint press conference on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the MPs said their concerns went beyond political disagreements, arguing that women had been subjected to personal attacks, humiliation and intimidation.
They highlighted several incidents involving Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau, Mwea MP Mary Maingi, the wife of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the family of the late MP Johana Ng’eno, and governors Anne Waiguru, Cecily Mbarire and Susan Kihika.
The MPs said Gachagua has a right to criticise the government and challenge political opponents, but argued that such criticism should not extend to women’s dignity, families or personal circumstances.
“Our concern is not that Mr. Gachagua disagrees with women leaders. Political disagreement is a legitimate part of democracy,” they said.
“Our concern is the manner in which these disagreements have been expressed, particularly where women leaders, women spouses and women in vulnerable circumstances have been singled out, personally attacked, undermined or drawn into political confrontations.”
Faith Gitau alleged verbal attack
The MPs cited allegations by Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau that Gachagua repeatedly used degrading and gendered insults against her.
According to the statement, Gitau accused the former deputy president of calling her a “witch” and “malaya”, a derogatory term meaning prostitute.
“This is not political criticism. It is gender-based humiliation,” the MPs said.
“Sexualized and degrading insults against a woman leader are designed to attack her dignity, reputation and credibility because she is a woman.”
They added that women leaders should be challenged over their policies and performance rather than their morality, sexuality or gender.
Mary Maingi and Mwea burial incident
The MPs also raised an incident involving Mwea MP Mary Maingi during a burial ceremony on April 17, 2026.
They said that while addressing mourners by phone, Gachagua reportedly described Maingi as a “traitor of the community” and accused her of supporting the government, resulting in a heated confrontation.
“We condemn the use of a burial ceremony to publicly demean an elected woman leader,” the MPs said.
They argued that Maingi had a constitutional right to make independent political choices.
“If her political position is opposed, it should be challenged through policies, facts and political debate,” they said.
“Challenge her record, challenge her decisions, challenge her policies—but do not use public platforms to humiliate a woman leader.”
Murkomen’s wife dragged into politics
The MPs also criticised what they described as references to the wife of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
They referred to remarks by Murkomen on August 23, in which he publicly complained that Gachagua had repeatedly brought his wife into political discourse.
“We ask: Why should the wife of a political opponent become part of a political battle?” the MPs said.
They argued that if Gachagua disagreed with Murkomen, he should address the Cabinet secretary directly.
“Dragging his wife into the dispute reduces a woman to her relationship with a man and exposes her to political controversy because of whom she is married to,” they said.
“A woman is not a political weapon simply because she is married to a politician.”
Johana Ng’eno’s family
The MPs also raised Gachagua’s August 21 visit to the family home of the late MP Johana Ng’eno in Mogondo.
According to the statement, Gachagua paid his respects at the gravesite and pledged support towards a mausoleum, with reports indicating that he was received by Ng’eno’s mother.
The MPs said they recognised that condolences and support to a bereaved family were commendable, but questioned the treatment of the widow and immediate family during political engagements.
“A bereaved woman must not be treated as though her voice, wishes or consent are secondary because she is grieving,” they said.
They added: “A widow’s grief is not weakness, her home is not political property and her consent must never be treated as optional.”
The MPs further asked: “What right does one have to trespass a widow’s matrimonial home without her consent?”
They described such conduct as “the highest form of prejudice against the widow who has an identity as a wife in that home.”
Waiguru, Mbarire and Kihika
The MPs also cited political exchanges involving Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.
They said remarks attributed to Gachagua in late July and early August concerning the three governors had drawn criticism from women leaders, who described them as disrespectful and demeaning.
On Waiguru, the MPs said political accountability should focus on her record, policies and performance.
“Challenge the Governor’s record; do not undermine her dignity because she is a woman,” they said.
Regarding Mbarire, the MPs said women leaders had criticised remarks attributed to Gachagua on July 31, while Mbarire herself criticised the remarks on August 8, saying they sought to demean and shame women in elective leadership.
“We reject the notion that a woman who makes an independent political decision should be labelled disloyal or subjected to personal attacks,” the MPs said.
“Political independence is not betrayal, and disagreement is not disloyalty.”
The MPs said Kihika had also been drawn into the political exchanges.
“Women do not owe political allegiance to any man because of his political status, former office or influence,” they said.
MPs accuse Gachagua of a broader pattern
The MPs said the individual incidents should be viewed as part of what they described as a wider pattern of gender based political attacks.
“Our seventh and most important concern is the pattern that emerges when these incidents are considered together,” they said.
They cited the April 17 Mwea incident, the July and August controversy involving Waiguru, Mbarire and Kihika, the August 21 engagement with Ng’eno’s family and the August 23 complaint by Murkomen.
The MPs stressed that they were not seeking to shield women leaders from political scrutiny.
“We are not saying women leaders should be immune from criticism. They must be held accountable just like their male counterparts,” they said.
“But criticize the policy, challenge the decision, question the performance—do not attack the woman’s dignity, gender, family or vulnerability.”
They said the cumulative effect of such conduct could create a political environment in which women are expected to tolerate personal humiliation as part of participating in leadership.
“We reject that standard completely,” they said.
Women MPs demand apology
The MPs demanded that Gachagua publicly acknowledge and apologise for remarks and conduct they said had demeaned women leaders or brought women spouses and families into political disputes.
They also called for an immediate end to what they described as sexist, abusive, demeaning and gendered political language directed at women.
They demanded that wives, children and other family members be kept out of political battles and that bereaved women and families be accorded privacy, dignity, autonomy and consent.
The MPs further called for women leaders to be judged on their policies, decisions and performance rather than their gender, marital status or political relationships.
Their statement invoked Articles 28, 27 and 73 of the Constitution, which respectively deal with dignity, equality and leadership as a public trust.
“A woman does not surrender her dignity because she enters politics. She does not lose her right to respect because she disagrees with a powerful political leader,” they said.
MPs launch scathing attack on Gachagua
In their closing remarks, the MPs escalated their criticism of the former deputy president, accusing him of promoting violence and tribalism in politics.
“Women Members of Parliament stand united against gender-based political attacks and in defence of the dignity, equality, autonomy and constitutional rights of every Kenyan woman,” they said.
They described Gachagua as “the enemy of women” and a “tribal bigot”, while accusing him of believing in “violence and tribalism as a currency of politics”.
“This violence and political goonism perpetuated by Kenya’s number one goon, must never be meted out on women leaders or women in general,” they said.
