NAIROBI, Kenya — A man claiming to have been among individuals hired to disrupt a post-budget forum at All Saints Cathedral has alleged that the operation was financed by a sitting Member of Parliament and coordinated with the involvement of plain-clothes police officers.
The allegations emerged during an interview with Citizen TV, where the man described how he and others were recruited on Thursday evening and promised payment to participate in what they were initially told would be a political operation targeting a meeting associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
According to the man, each participant was promised Sh2,000 and instructed to secure a motorcycle, with two people assigned to each bike.
“Akatuambia kuna shughuli ya Rigathi Gachagua tao,” he said, claiming the assignment was presented as a political disruption exercise in Nairobi’s central business district.
However, he alleged that plans changed on Friday morning, when the group was redirected to All Saints Cathedral, where civil society organisations, religious leaders, lawyers, and members of the public had gathered for a post-budget discussion.
The man further claimed that plain-clothes officers embedded within the group took charge of operations and issued instructions on movement and positioning.
“Kufika huko tukaingia na ma pikipiki, hao mapolisi tulikuwa nao wakasema hii inachoma,” he said.
According to his account, the group was instructed to move away from the cathedral and gather at a nearby construction site believed to be beyond the reach of surveillance cameras. However, the plan was reportedly abandoned after some members spotted CCTV cameras in the area.
He claimed the operation subsequently collapsed, with participants dispersing before receiving the full payment they had allegedly been promised.
The man also alleged that politicians frequently hire such groups for political assignments and that criminal activities, including theft, sometimes occur during the resulting chaos.
His claims come as investigations continue into the invasion of All Saints Cathedral on Friday morning, an incident that sparked widespread condemnation from religious leaders, civil society organisations, and legal groups.
All Saints Cathedral Provost, Evans Omollo, alleged that efforts had been made to interfere with the investigation.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Daybreak programme, Omollo claimed that one suspect initially arrested in connection with the attack was later released following intervention from individuals linked to those who financed the operation.
“The said people who financed this stepped in to kill this case because of the publicity it has attracted,” he said.
He further alleged that two complainants whose mobile phones were stolen during the incident each received Sh24,000 to withdraw their complaints.
Meanwhile, Oburu Odinga condemned the broader culture of political violence and the use of hired gangs in political contests.
“I think the nature of goonism, where you have goons for hire by everybody, they are hired by both sides. That nature of goonism we as leaders should take care of,” he said.
“We must make sure that culture is stopped in our country.”
The attack occurred during a public forum convened to discuss the implications of the 2026/27 national budget. CCTV footage later showed groups of men arriving at the cathedral compound before disrupting the meeting, forcing participants to flee. Some attendees reported being robbed during the chaos.
Police have maintained that investigations are ongoing. Authorities have not publicly identified any politician linked to the incident, and no official findings have yet been released regarding the allegations made by the man interviewed by Citizen TV.
The incident has intensified calls for accountability and renewed concerns about the use of organised gangs to disrupt lawful public gatherings, raising broader questions about political violence, security enforcement and the protection of constitutional freedoms.
