NAIROBI, Kenya- Viral videos recorded in Othaya, Nyeri County, have sparked national outrage after police officers were captured working alongside armed goons during a dramatic disruption of a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The incident occurred at ACK Witima Church on Sunday morning, just as the service was beginning.
Witnesses say a group of men arrived while in a police vehicle and an unmarked car, moments before chaos erupted.
The violence lasted for more than 50 minutes.
Footage circulating widely on social media shows police firing live ammunition and lobbing teargas canisters inside the church compound, forcing worshippers to flee as thick white smoke engulfed the sanctuary.
Children can be heard screaming in fear, while women — including elderly congregants — cried as they scrambled for safety.
Panic as congregants take cover after teargas is lobbed inside church where Gachagua was attending service
The church compound quickly turned white as teargas billowed through the air, bringing the service to an abrupt halt.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers appeared coordinated, with some individuals armed with crude weapons while others worked closely with uniformed officers.
All vehicles belonging to Gachagua that were parked within the church compound were vandalised and destroyed during the melee.
Gachagua and senior clergy were evacuated through back routes by his private security team amid the confusion.
In one widely shared clip, the former deputy president is seen jumping over a barbed-wire fence as security officers shield him from the attackers.
“William Ruto has sent a killer squad to kill us inside Witima ACK church, Othaya. We are marooned in church, being attacked with live bullets and tear gas and torched my vehicles. We ask Kenyans to pray for us to come out alive,” Gachagua said, shortly after the incident.
The Othaya incident mirrors similar scenes witnessed in recent months in Gatundu South and Kariobangi North in Nairobi, where church services attended by Gachagua were disrupted by violence and heavy police presence.
In a strongly worded statement, Gachagua accused the government of deliberately sanctioning violence against him and his supporters.
“This is state-sponsored terrorism,” he said, alleging that security agencies have been weaponised to intimidate political opponents.
Mr. William Ruto, should ANYTHING happen to the Second Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya HE Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya will hold you wholly responsible.
Gachagua served as Deputy President until his impeachment following a bitter fallout with President William Ruto. Since then, he has emerged as one of the government’s fiercest critics, frequently attacking state policies and accusing the administration of betraying voters.
The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader is now positioning himself as a key opposition figure ahead of the 2027 general election, rallying leaders seeking to unseat President Ruto.
Political analysts note that the government has invested heavily in consolidating support in the Mt Kenya region — the same voting bloc that overwhelmingly backed Ruto in 2022, helping him defeat the late Raila Odinga.
Opposition leaders allied to former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka have condemned the Othaya incident, warning that the use of violence against political rivals threatens Kenya’s democratic fabric.
As pressure mounts, questions are growing over police neutrality and the shrinking space for political dissent — even within places of worship.
“If anything happens to Rigathi Gachagua, William Ruto, you will not have a country,” Musyoka said.
Jubilee presidential candidate Dr Fred Matiangi also condemned the violence.
“I strongly condemn the barbaric use of tear gas on peaceful worshippers at Witima ACK Church in Othaya, Nyeri County, where former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his team were worshipping. What should have been a moment of prayer was turned into fear, forcing men, women, children, and the elderly to flee the house of God. No Kenyan should ever face such treatment while exercising their faith,” Matiangi said.
He added, “This incident is a clear violation of the constitutional freedoms of worship, assembly, and movement. Those responsible must be independently investigated and held accountable without delay. Kenya must always choose dialogue, the rule of law, and respect for its people, not fear and force.”
