By Dr. Jean Wanjira Kamau| Reporting from Kenya

“When leaders fear the truth, they call it madness, and a government that silences questions builds its own prison. Intimidation is the last refuge of those with something to hide.“

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s recent threat to admit former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to a mental hospital is not only reckless but a dangerous mockery of democratic accountability. Instead of using established legal and investigative channels to verify Gachagua’s explosive claims—that President William Ruto and senior Kenyan officials have held clandestine meetings with Al-Shabaab militants—Murkomen has chosen the path of political thuggery, character assassination, and intimidation. In a country still reeling from the trauma of abductions, extra-judicial killings, and state-sponsored propaganda, such statements reek of desperation and authoritarian overreach.

If the government truly believes in the rule of law, the obvious step would be to summon credible investigative bodies—both local and international—to probe the matter, especially given that the allegations touch on Kenya’s national security, international counterterrorism obligations, and the safety of its citizens. Instead, Murkomen’s unguarded outburst reveals a government more interested in silencing dissent than confronting the truth. The irony is staggering: this is the same Murkomen who once appeared on national television confirming that his government was engaged in negotiations with Al-Shabaab over the release of five abducted Kenyan chiefs. If that was not evidence enough that high-level communication with the terror group has occurred, what exactly qualifies as proof?

The casual weaponization of mental health as a political insult is an alarming descent into the politics of humiliation and fear, a tactic historically employed by oppressive regimes to crush dissenters without addressing the substance of their claims. Kenya’s leadership should know that in the age of global media and international law, threatening to institutionalize political opponents will not erase suspicions—it will amplify them. Gachagua’s allegations, whether true or false, demand sober, transparent investigation. A government confident in its innocence would welcome scrutiny, not shrink from it.

If indeed these allegations are fabricated, the due process of law offers clear remedies: defamation suits, formal parliamentary inquiries, and criminal charges where applicable. But the impulse to reach for the psychiatric ward instead of the courtroom is a telltale sign of a regime that fears the truth more than it values justice. For Kenyans at home and abroad, the message is clear—this administration would rather brand you insane than answer uncomfortable questions.

In the end, the question that must be asked is not whether Gachagua is mad, but whether a government that threatens psychiatric detention for whistleblowers and critics is itself losing touch with reality. Kenya cannot afford to descend into a state where political disputes are resolved through intimidation rather than investigation. The country has paid too high a price for such madness before, and history will not be kind to those who choose fear over facts.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Diaspora Times.

I approve this message, Arch. Dr. D.K. Gitau| The Diaspora Times Editor.