The storm over the Sunday attack against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua intensified yesterday, as clergy and political leaders demanded urgent answers over the repeated assaults and the apparent complicity of the police.
The attack at Witima ACK Church in Othaya,Nyeri County, which left congregants terrified and traumatised, is the latest in a series of politically charged incidents that have raised fears of a calculated campaign of intimidation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Over the past year, Mr Gachagua has survived more than a dozen attacks, yet not a single arrest has led to court proceedings, leaving the public questioning the commitment of the police to uphold law and order.
Even after repeated directives from President William Ruto and appeals to security agencies, nothing has been done to hold to account the perpetrators, who allegedly enjoy political patronage within security structures.
Religious leaders yesterday described the incident as a desecration of sacred spaces while opposition politicians accused the government of failing to act decisively despite repeated presidential directives to curb political violence.
At Witima ACK Church, worshippers were forced to flee as tear gas canisters were lobbed into the congregation. Vehicles were vandalised and church property damaged.
One of the vehicles that were damaged after armed goons disrupted a Sunday service at Witima ACK Church in Nyeri County on January 25, 2026.
Photo credit: Gitonga Marete | Nation Media Group
The National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK) condemned the attack, describing it as “illegal, unconstitutional, and an affront to the body of Jesus Christ”. It further listed nine instances where police attacked worshippers peacefully assembled in churches.
“We further note that in all these incidences, the police officers who deliberately broke the law have not been interdicted, investigated, prosecuted or otherwise held accountable for their heinous crime, indicating state approval at the highest level.
Kenya's Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua reacts as he arrives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after his visit to the U.S., in Nairobi, Kenya, August 21, 2025.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi
“NCCK calls for an unqualified apology from the Minister for Interior and the Inspector-General of the National Police Service to the Church and the religious community in Kenya,” the council’s chairperson, Rev Dr Elias Otieno Agola, and General-Secretary Rev Canon Chris Kinyanjui, said in a statement.
The head of ACK, Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, described the attack as “deeply disturbing” and called for a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
“What unfolded yesterday at ACK Witima, a space of worship, grieves us deeply. God’s children were hurt within the very place meant to shelter them. Children struggled to breathe where prayers should rise freely. Fear entered a sanctuary meant for peace. The altar of Christ, set apart for worship, repentance and hope, was violated,” he said.
ACK Church head of Mt Kenya West Diocese, Bishop Gerald Murithi, said that the attack was not staged as some politicians have claimed, describing it as an attempt to intimidate and instil fear. He termed the incident “the darkest day in the history of our church” and accused police officers of direct involvement.
Bishop Murithi said just as the service was about to start, and Mr Gachagua arrived, police officers stormed the church, firing live ammunition and tear gas.
“It was not just an attack on one man. It was an attack on the sanctity of worship, on our children, women and the elderly who were left terrified. The deflating of tyres, burning of vehicles and harassment of congregants were done under the watch of police officers. This shows a gross misuse of government resources to intimidate political opponents,” he said.
A Sunday service at Witima ACK Church in Othaya was abruptly disrupted when canisters of tear gas were deployed in the sanctuary during a visit by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Photo credit: Pool
Yet, amidst the outrage, Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi suggested that Mr Gachagua orchestrated the attack to gain sympathy. The MP said he intended to record a statement with the police to support his claims.
But for many observers, this assertion does little to quell fears that political violence has become systematic and unchecked.
Since his impeachment as DP in October 2024, Mr Gachagua has faced repeated assaults. On November 28, 2024, suspected Mungiki gang members attacked him at a burial ceremony in Limuru, pelting his vehicle with rocks and metal bars. In December 2024, he was targeted with a tear gas canister during a public engagement in Shamata area in Nyandarua County.
Last year in February, Mr Gachagua’s spouse, Dorcas Rigathi, was forced to flee a prayer meeting in Nyeri County after armed youth disrupted the service, taking chairs reserved for Mr Gachagua and other guests and throwing them aside.
Other incidents last year include temporary blockades at ACK Cathedral in Nyeri in February, attacks at PCEA Mwiki church in Nairobi, confrontations at AIPCA church in Kigumo, Murang’a in July, and tear gas attacks during by-election campaigns in Narok town in November.
In August last year, armed youth attacked the former DP in Nairobi on arrival from the United States, while in November, goons disrupted an elections win thanksgiving service at PCEA, Kariobangi North in Nairobi.
Earlier this month, rowdy youth attempted to block Mr Gachagua from an AIPCA church in Gatundu South, Kiambu County.
Residents scamper for safety after tear gas canisters were lobbed at Witima ACK Church in Nyeri County during a Sunday service that was attended by Rigathi Gachagua on January 25, 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
President Ruto, during a National Police College pass-out parade on December 1, 2025, instructed security agencies to confront goons and prevent anarchy. He directed IG Douglas Kanja to move decisively against individuals who hire youth to cause violence.
“We cannot allow those using youth as goons to cause chaos and death to continue doing so. I have instructed the Inspector-General of Police that these individuals should face severe legal action to end hooliganism and stop activities that threaten the security of our country,” Ruto said.
Yet, the attacks have persisted.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki , Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Mr Kanja, despite reiterating commitments to act after each incident, have been silent on follow-ups, creating the perception of impunity.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) has also criticised police negligence. The authority concluded that the police failed to professionally handle arrests and investigations, recommending accountability measures for officers involved.
A vehicle with shattered windscreen following chaos during a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at PCEA Mwiki on April 6, 2025.a
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
“In the Shamata incident, the suspect who had lobbed a tear gas canister at the dais and arrested was reportedly a male police officer. Five more suspects were arrested but were later released on instructions from the county police commander ... The released suspects’ details were not fully recorded in the Occurrence Book, raising accountability concerns,” Ipoa said.
The suspect who claimed to be a police officer from Athi River, Ipoa added, was taken to Ndaragwa Police Station but was not booked and was later released.
Opposition leaders have criticised the police for repeatedly failing to act, despite the attacks being widely documented, with photos and videos of the perpetrators in the public domain.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka described the attacks as “State-sponsored violence against dissenters”, warning that government inaction has emboldened perpetrators.
Tear gas engulfs parked vehicles after armed goons disrupted a Sunday service at Witima ACK Church in Nyeri County on January 25, 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya cautioned that unless sanity returns to the country’s security apparatus, Kenya risks descending into chaos.
Observers note that the pattern of attacks is not random. Mr Gachagua, a vocal government critic, has been repeatedly targeted during worship, political events and social gatherings.
In April last year, Mr Gachagua wrote to Mr Kanja, warning that the pattern of violence against him suggested a premeditated scheme involving police officers and organised criminal gangs.
Despite repeated public statements that investigations were underway, the police have largely remained silent on outcomes.
Yesterday, Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss, Mohammed Amin, Mr Kanja and Mr Murkomen did not respond to our queries seeking information on those arrested, arraigned, released or being sought over the incidents.
