NAIROBI, Kenya — Pressure is mounting on the government after a chaotic Sunday scene at Kariobangi North PCEA Church, where tear gas, injuries, and scattered worshippers turned a thanksgiving service into a political battlefield.
Now, Jubilee legislator Amos Mwago is leading the charge, calling the incident an “unacceptable attack on democracy” — and his outcry comes as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua directly links the chaos to a wider political scheme allegedly sanctioned from the highest levels of government.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Dagoretti North MP Amos Mwago condemned what he termed state-sponsored goons allegedly deployed to disrupt the thanksgiving ceremony for newly elected Kariobangi North MCA David Wanyoike.
Mwago described the episode — which included police lobbing tear gas inside the sanctuary — as a deliberate attempt to intimidate leaders perceived to be drifting away from the ruling coalition.
“Such orchestrated chaos inside a place of worship is an assault on democracy… We demand full accountability and immediate action against the perpetrators,” Mwago wrote.
“Kenya will not be bullied into fear.”
His remarks echo growing frustration among leaders who believe political competition is increasingly being policed through violence rather than persuasion.
Gachagua: “Ruto Sent Goons and Police to Punish Kariobangi Voters”
Speaking at the same event shortly before the chaos unfolded, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua accused President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja of deploying goons to destabilise the meeting — all because Kariobangi residents rejected a UDA candidate in the recent by-election.
Gachagua, who has rapidly emerged as the face of anti-establishment politics within Mt. Kenya, warned that intimidation would only further alienate voters.
“William Ruto wants to force us to support him through intimidation,” he said.
“Each time you send goons to attack leaders and citizens, this community grows to resent you even more.”
He linked the confrontation directly to the Kariobangi North by-election, where the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) clinched the seat while UDA finished a distant fourth.
According to Gachagua, the attempt to suppress dissent only reinforces DCP’s rising influence, reflected in its recent wins in Kariobangi North, Narok Town, and Kisa East.
Calls for Accountability as Political Temperatures Rise
Mwago’s statement amplifies demands for a full investigation into the tear-gassing incident — with both church leaders and local residents calling for assurances that places of worship will not become political battlegrounds.
Rights groups and clergy have also expressed alarm at the optics of police storming a church during a thanksgiving ceremony, warning that the state is setting a precedent that threatens constitutional freedoms.
As the standoff deepens, Gachagua has continued to position himself as a champion of communities “tired of intimidation,” while Mwago insists Parliament must take up the matter urgently.
Both narratives point to one reality: Nairobi politics is edging into a new and unpredictable phase as 2027 draws near.
