Kimilili Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa has stated that Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua is mentally ill and needs urgent medical care.
According to Barasa, this is following Gachagua’s remarks on the repeat of the 2007-2008 post-election violence and calling on people to boycott Mt Kenya artists who visited Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
Speaking at a local TV station on Wednesday, May 27, 2025, Barasa stated that such sentiments can only come from a mentally ill person.
“Rigathi Gachagua’s remarks about artistes from Mt Kenya that visited Kindiki being boycotted and the 2007-2008 post-election violence show someone who is mentally ill,” he stated.
Further, he has urged Gachagua’s close allies to take him to a mental health facility with specialists to treat him.
“I would like to call upon Gachagua’s close allies, starting with Pastor Dorcas, to take him to a mental health facility,” he said.
“I can assure you if he gets there, he will be admitted for not less than 2 years, receiving specialised treatment,” he remarked.
Additionally, the MP stated that he is willing to take the former deputy president to a mental health facility by obtaining a court order.
“I will go to court and request that Gachagua be arrested and taken to a mental health facility by force. We cannot sit and watch our friend deteriorate,” he stated.
Mt Kenya artistes
Speaking at AIPCA Kihoya in Murang’a County, on May 25, 2025, Gachagua called on Mt Kenya residents to shun artistes who paid a visit to Kindiki at his Karen residence.
“Those who went to Ruto to ask for forgiveness – if not, I’ll order no one to listen to their music, and no clubs will invite them to perform,” Gachagua said.
The former DP further accused an unnamed musician of spreading lies against him and his DCP party.
“Imagine one musician went to accuse me of Mr Yes Sir, that I denied him a chance to vie for MP… A standard two drop-up wants to be an MP… A person who doesn’t know even one word in English to be people’s representative?” Gachagua posed.
Kindiki held a meeting with leading musicians from the Mt Kenya region, which he said sought to find interventions on ‘exploitative cartels’ in the industry on May 23, 2025.
“The Creative industry is a multibillion shilling business, and constant engagement with performing artists and all those in that space is imperative to find ways of supporting them through policy and protection of intellectual property rights,” Kindiki stated.
During the meeting, the musicians gave testimonies on the success of the Social Health Insurance Fund.
