Tension erupted on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at ACK Wairima Church, where Kenya’s former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, was attending a worship service, following a violent incident involving security forces.
According to eyewitnesses, police officers wearing face coverings reportedly stormed the church compound, deploying tear gas and firing live ammunition.
Several worshippers were injured in the chaos, while Gachagua and members of his delegation managed to escape without harm.
This marks the second recent incident involving the former deputy president at a church event. Two weeks earlier, a similar disturbance occurred outside the Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) in Kiamworia, Gatundu South, where rival youth groups reportedly clashed, leading to unrest in the area.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Gachagua claimed that he and his associates were trapped inside the church during what he described as an attempted assassination.
He further alleged that some of his vehicles were set on fire during the turmoil.
Gachagua urged Kenyans to remain prayerful and committed to peace, warning that such incidents threaten national stability and unity.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement detailing the cause of the confrontation or confirming the extent of injuries and damages as investigations continue.
