NAIROBI, Kenya — Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has sharply criticised the police teargas incident at PCEA Kariobangi North, calling it a “desecration of the Church” and warning that the country is drifting toward state-sponsored intimidation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a post, the legislator said lobbing teargas into a place of worship amounted to an attack on both the faithful and the sanctity of the altar.
“Throwing teargas in church on Sunday is desecration of the Church. This is evil and attracts the wrath of God,” Wamuchomba said. “The President of Kenya should apologize not to the political leaders but to the Church and to God.”
Her remarks follow chaotic scenes earlier in the day when police fired teargas outside the Kariobangi North church as DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua and leaders aligned with the Democratic Change Party (DCP) attended a service.
The confrontation, which leaders say left worshippers — including children — scrambling for safety, has intensified political tensions surrounding recent by-elections in Nairobi’s Eastlands area.
Wamuchomba linked the Kariobangi incident to what she described as a troubling pattern of state overreach.
“Going by the recent happenings, 2027 elections might take a detour from democracy to anarchy. We can only stop these excesses by respecting the Rule of Law,” she said, adding that the country was “slowly becoming a military state.”
Wamuchomba urged authorities to bring those responsible to account and ensure justice for the injured. “I condemn the attacks of innocent children and worshippers in PCEA Kariobangi. May those injured recover quickly and get justice,” she added.
She further called on the state to “stop violence against children,” noting that faith spaces should remain protected zones under Kenya’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of worship and peaceful assembly.
As investigations continue, the Kariobangi episode has renewed debate on the politicisation of security agencies, with leaders from both sides urging restraint to prevent further escalation in an already charged political climate.
