Security sources investigating the incident, the second since Mr Gachagua was impeached and removed from office, said the policeman, said to be from outside Nyandarua, arrived at the venue of the prayer meeting at 11am.
About 20 minutes later, Mr Gachagua arrived, accompanied by a number of his allies.
The assailant, who managed to sneak into the public tent with a tear gas canister, waited for the service to end before quickly moving in to disrupt speeches by politicians who had accompanied the former DP.
The suspect, who was sitting in the second row of the public tent, threw the offensive weapon and aimed it at the platform where Mr Gachagua was sitting.
“The man arrived a few minutes before the arrival of the former DP. He took a seat and remained calm, but he was occasionally chatting. He would text whenever he received a call. We never suspected he was on a mission,” said a woman sitting next to the suspect, who narrowly escaped being lynched by a mob.
Chaos erupts at Shamata Grounds as teargas targeting former DP Gachagua causes panic
Leshao Pondo MCA Kamau Gathungu, who attended the prayers, said, “All was calm, it appears the planners were under strict instructions. The purpose was to ensure the leaders do not address the congregation, it’s a shame and a cowardly act.”
“You cannot jeopardise the lives of innocent people whose crime is liking and admiring their leaders. Those dirty and primitive acts are bound to fail.”
In a video clip circulating on social media, the handcuffed suspect can be heard in a police van blaming a blogger associated with the former DP office for his ordeal.
“Ni hicho ki blogger cha Rigathi ndio kilinitambua, ndicho kilileta noma (it was Mr Rigathi’s blogger who identified me, he is the one who brought all this mess),” the suspect says.
The suspect appears to have outwitted both uniformed and civilian security at the stadium before staging the gas attack.
There was a heavy police presence at the entrance to the stadium, while private security guards, mostly youths affiliated with the former DP, appeared to have taken charge of security around the tents and dais, with minimal support from senior police officers.
The security guards appeared to be very eager, and the senior police officers manning the platform had to consult them before anyone was allowed on to the platform.
As soon as the tear gas canister was intercepted, the security guards formed a human shield around the visibly frightened former DP and forced him into his private car in what looked like a rough arrest.
Residents engage with police after former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua attended prayer session that turned chaotic after a man threw a tear gas cannister at him.
Photo credit: Waikwa Maina | Nation
Meanwhile, the eagle-eyed youths, who may not have been taught about security or lessons similar to the Kiambu attack, spotted and identified the suspect, who suffered serious injuries before police rescued him.
Nyandarua police have launched an investigation into the incident, which disrupted a fundraising event planned for the day to support the churches involved.
Shamata Deputy County Commissioner Mary Muchene said on Sunday that a preliminary report would be ready on Monday.
“The DCI has interrogated the suspect. We want to establish how he landed at Shamata, which police station he is based, and how the entire drama was planned. Investigations are ongoing. Let us allow the police enough time to conclude the investigations,” he said.
Lawyer Nderi Ndiani, who also attended the prayers, condemned the attack as barbaric.
“What has happened here today and what’s happening across the country, including the abductions, reminds us of the dark Kanu days. These are the things the new 2010 Constitution wanted to bring to an end, where dissenting voices are kidnapped or silenced using crude ways,” he said on Saturday.
“There is no justification for what happened here at Shamata today or the ongoing kidnappings of the youth for expressing their opinion on social media. Freedom of expression is guaranteed in the Constitution. President Ruto must be governed by the Constitution, he must respect the Constitution. He should put more energy and resources into fighting escalating corruption and the skyrocketing cost of living, not engaging in what we are witnessing in the country.”
