In a strongly worded message shared on social media on Monday, January 5, 2026, Kinyanjui accused Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), of recklessness and poor judgment.
He faulted the former deputy president for calling on a foreign power to investigate Kenya over allegations of corruption and financial impropriety linked to the Minnesota case, warning that such actions could have grave implications for the country.
Kinyanjui cautioned that dragging foreign governments into Kenya’s internal political disputes risks undermining national sovereignty and could expose the country to unnecessary diplomatic and economic consequences.
While acknowledging that investigations are not his direct mandate, he said the failure to distinguish between domestic political rivalries and matters of serious international concern was deeply troubling.
“Although it is not my responsibility to handle investigations, the sheer lack of wisdom in failing to separate political disagreements from issues of grave international importance is alarming,” Kinyanjui stated, adding that Kenya’s image and stability should not be sacrificed for political point-scoring.
The remarks, however, triggered an equally forceful response from former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando, who turned his criticism on Kinyanjui. In a post on X, Kabando warned the Trade CS against attacking Gachagua over comments related to the Minnesota fraud allegations.
Kabando accused Kinyanjui of abandoning his long-standing reformist credentials after joining President William Ruto’s administration.
He lamented what he described as Kinyanjui’s transformation from a vocal critic of poor governance into a defender of the ruling establishment, suggesting that his earlier “Ubuntu spirit” had been absorbed into the political machinery of the United Democratic Alliance.
“My once-outspoken friend Lee, we miss your sharp weekly sayings that challenged bad governance.
But since you gave up that role to become Ruto’s envoy, the spirit of Ubuntu has shifted into UDA’s political machinery,” Kabando wrote.
He further stressed that issues touching on international relations, diplomacy, and global security cannot be trivialized or reduced to political rhetoric.
Warning against casual commentary on sensitive global matters, Kabando said concerns such as the risk of wider international conflict demand sobriety and responsibility from leaders.
The exchange highlights growing tensions within Kenya’s political class as allegations linked to international financial scandals intersect with domestic power struggles.
It also underscores the increasingly sharp divisions over how far political actors should go in seeking external intervention in Kenya’s internal affairs.