Gachagua: ‘They want us dead in church’
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Police had not issued an official statement on the Othaya incident at the time of publishing this article.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed he and his team were trapped inside Witima ACK Church in Othaya, Nyeri County, as police reportedly deployed tear gas and live bullets during an engagement on Sunday, causing panic and disruption to worshippers.
Vehicles outside were also set on fire, he said.
“We are marooned in the church being attacked with live bullets and tear gas, and my vehicles have been torched. We ask Kenyans to pray for us to come out alive,” Gachagua said in a social media post soon after the incident.
The security situation at the church has sparked a wave of responses from political leaders and public figures, underscoring the sensitivity of events unfolding at a place of worship.
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka condemned the reported attack, calling it a “grave and unacceptable violation of the Constitution and the rule of law”.
The Wiper Democratic Front leader emphasised that a church is a “sacred and protected space.”
“I hold the Inspector General of Police and all responsible officials fully accountable for the safety of Gachagua, his team, and all civilians inside,” Kalonzo wrote.
He added that no political rivalry can justify such force.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba also weighed in, calling the use of tear gas in a church “a desecration” and urging the President to apologise to the church and to God for the incident, especially given the presence of children among worshippers.
On the other side of the political divide, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi challenged Mr Gachagua’s claims in a separate incident that involved tear gas at a church service months earlier.
He branded the attempt to “link leadership to church teargassing” as politics and sympathy‑seeking, though that referred to a different event and not specifically Othaya.
Social media platforms were flooded with reactions from Kenyans, with many expressing shock at reports of tear gas and live bullets near a place of worship.
Others urged restraint and called for swift and transparent investigations into what happened at Othaya.
At the time of reporting, police had not issued an official statement on the Othaya incident or responded to the allegations.
The politician’s claims have drawn attention to broader concerns about security responses at political and public events, especially those occurring near or inside places of worship — a theme that has repeatedly surfaced in recent high‑profile gatherings across the country.
