Police Respond After Claims of Teargas Fired Inside Church Attended by Gachagua
The National Police Service (NPS) has dismissed allegations that officers threw a teargas canister inside the PCEA Church in Kariobangi North on Sunday, November 30, during a service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
In a detailed statement issued the same day, NPS Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga clarified that after the reports emerged, police reached out to the church leadership, who also confirmed that no teargas was deployed inside the church building.
According to Nyaga, the church leaders were keen to correct “misinformation” circulating online and in the media.
He confirmed that the service resumed normally shortly after the disturbance outside and concluded peacefully at around 2 pm. This, he said, was an important clarification since the incident had triggered public concern and fear among congregants and residents.
Chaos Outside the Church
Tension broke out on Sunday afternoon near the church compound when two rival groups clashed. One group was alleged to have been sent to disrupt the thanksgiving service, while the other group consisted of supporters of Gachagua.
The former Deputy President had visited the church to lead a thanksgiving ceremony for Wanyoike Warui of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), who recently won the Kariobangi North ward by-election held on November 27.
As the confrontation intensified, the road leading to the church became completely blocked as youths engaged in shouting matches and confrontations.
Police officers were quickly deployed to control the situation. In an effort to disperse the growing crowd, officers fired shots in the air and lobbed teargas canisters outside the church compound. This temporarily interrupted the church service as the commotion spilled over to the entrance.
Injuries and Investigations
The NPS confirmed that six people were injured during the chaos, adding that the attack appeared to have been planned and deliberately executed to cause disruption. The service emphasized that such violence near a place of worship is unacceptable and goes against Kenya’s values of respect and tolerance.
Police further announced that the Nairobi Regional Commander and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have launched an official investigation to determine what happened, who funded the groups involved, and what their motives were.
Authorities urged anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward and share any information that might help in the ongoing probe.
Nyaga added that the police take incidents targeting places of worship very seriously. He expressed sympathy to the injured individuals and wished them a quick recovery, assuring the public that action will be taken once investigations are complete.
Gachagua Blames Ruto and UDA Leaders
Following the incident, Rigathi Gachagua strongly condemned the events and directly accused President William Ruto, as well as senior leaders within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), of being behind the chaos. Gachagua claimed that the attack was politically motivated and intended to intimidate residents who rejected the UDA candidate in the recent by-election.
He warned that using violence and targeting worship places would only weaken public trust in the government, adding that such actions were dangerous for the stability of the country.
Gachagua described the events as disturbing and unacceptable, saying that churches, women, and children should never be exposed to violence.
“It is unfortunate and disturbing that William Ruto is turning Kenya into a militia country where women, children, and churches have become his key targets of lethal attacks. You have desecrated the altar and defiled a holy place, and for sure God will punish you,” he said in a hard-hitting statement.
Gachagua further claimed that sending “goons and police to attack us at the PCEA Church, Kariobangi North,” was a sign of desperation by the president. According to him, this was punishment directed at Kariobangi North residents for declining to support the UDA candidate.
The incident has triggered widespread debate, with many Kenyans calling for a transparent investigation to bring clarity on what truly happened and whether political actors played a role in the confrontation.
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