Gachagua Blames Ruto and Sakaja for Kariobangi Church Violence
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has directly accused President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja of masterminding a violent disruption at PCEA Kariobangi Church during a service he attended on Sunday, labeling it a desperate bid to silence opposition voices.
Chaos erupted outside the church as rival factions clashed, leading police to fire shots in the air and deploy tear gas some allegedly into the sanctuary while worshippers, including women and children, sought safety.
Gachagua, now leading the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), claimed hired goons orchestrated the attack to intimidate his supporters amid shifting political loyalties in Nairobi.
“We have reached a point in the Republic of Kenya where William Ruto wants to force us to support him through intimidation. He has sent goons and police to assault the people of Kariobangi North simply because they did not elect a UDA candidate,” Gachagua said.
Incident Unfolds Amid Thanksgiving Service
The turmoil struck during a thanksgiving ceremony for newly elected Kariobangi North MCA David Warui, where Gachagua addressed a crowd.
Witnesses described stone-throwing goons invading the compound, escalating into full brawls that injured at least six people, according to police reports.
Officers intervened to restore order, denying they lobbed tear gas inside the church, but Gachagua insisted the violence was state-sponsored, with police complicity turning a peaceful gathering into mayhem.
The service resumed and ended peacefully by 2:00 pm, but not before underscoring deep rifts in Kenya’s political landscape.
Gachagua’s Fiery Accusations and Warnings
Gachagua tied the chaos to the recent Kariobangi North by-election, where DCP’s candidate triumphed while UDA’s Ruto’s party finished a humiliating fourth, signaling eroding support in Mt. Kenya and Nairobi.
“And I tell you, Governor, my supporters voted for you. Why are you allowing Ruto to use you to send goons to harass your own community? Why? These people voted for you, yet you have turned against them. Now Ruto is sending you with goons to attack this community because he doesn’t want you to succeed,” he stated.
He warned Ruto against “radicalizing the Kikuyu nation” through intimidation, drawing parallels to colonial errors, and urged Sakaja whom he claims his voters backed to resist being used against his own community.
“William Ruto, let me give you free advice; you are radicalizing the Kikuyu nation, and that is exactly the mistake the colonial government made. Each time you send goons to attack leaders and citizens, this community grows to resent you even more. Those advising you are misleading you.”
“The more you rely on police and goons, the more Kenyans drift away,” Gachagua declared, vowing DCP wins like Nairobi’s 2027 governorship and citing successes in Narok Town and Kisa East for his seven-month-old party.
Broader Political Fallout and Police Response
The former Deputy President warned that forced political loyalty would not earn the ruling party support in Nairobi or Mt. Kenya, insisting that attempts to force loyalty had historically failed.
“You cannot get the support of this community by force. If you ask Ruto about Narok, he will tell you he tried to use intimidation to make the people support a UDA candidate, and they refused.”
He praised the Maa community for supporting DCP, saying recent wins in Kariobangi North, Narok Town, and Kisa East are evidence of the party’s rising influence.
“Don’t worry about Mbeere; DCP had no candidate there. We had candidates in Kariobangi North, Narok Town, and Kisa East, and we won. In Purko and Magarini, we only lost narrowly. For a party that is only seven months old, it has won 3 seats out of 5,” the DCP leader stated.
DCP boss also announced a new political pact between DCP and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, saying the two parties had agreed to field joint candidates in the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial, senatorial, and women’s representative positions, as well as in most parliamentary and ward seats.
“The Kariobangi North victory marks the beginning of DCP’s journey in Nairobi. DCP is the party of Nairobi,” the DCP boss said.
“We have agreed that out of the 17 parliamentary seats, we will take 16, and out of the 85 ward seats, DCP and Wiper will take 75.”
Police have launched a probe into the clashes, probing youth involvement and denying direct responsibility for indoor tear gas, while Gachagua frames it as evidence of government desperation ahead of 2027.
The incident highlights escalating tensions post-impeachment, with Gachagua positioning DCP as a UDA rival, especially after Narok failures where intimidation backfired.
Sakaja and State House have not publicly responded, but the event risks fueling anti-government sentiment in urban strongholds
NPS has now dismissed Gachagua’s claim that it fired teargas into the church where the congregation was gathered
“Towards the end of the service, two police officers on security duty noted a large group of rowdy youths, armed with crude weapons, attempting to force their way into the church. The two officers promptly called for reinforcements,” said NPS.
“Police moved in quickly to quell the escalating situation, which regrettably spilled into the church, temporarily disrupting the service,” added NPS.
The police further confirmed that 6 people were injured in the melee and rushed to hospital. It added that the incident appeared to have been planned and premeditated.
“The Service also wishes to correct misinformation alleging that a tear gas canister was thrown into the church. Church leadership have been contacted and has denied that this occurred. The service later resumed and concluded peacefully at 2:00 PM,” said NPS.
The Nairobi Regional Police Commander and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI have launched investigations into the incident.