Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday returned to Othaya town, a week after what he described as a failed assassination attempt on his life, using the visit to recount the violent disruption of a church service in which police and suspected goons teargassed women and children.
Speaking to residents, Mr Gachagua said the January 25 incident at Witima ACK Church marked a troubling moment when a place of worship was turned into a battleground as he attended a Sunday service. He said police lobbed teargas canisters into the church compound, sending worshippers, including children, scrambling for safety.
“On that day, women and children bore the brunt of a regime that does not value human life or respect religion,” Mr Gachagua said, describing the attack on the church as sacrilegious and unacceptable in a democratic society.
He accused the government of presiding over growing impunity and warned that violence in places of worship set a dangerous precedent. “Violence in churches, brutality against women and children and intimidation of citizens must come to an end,” he said.
Mr Gachagua said his return to Othaya, just days after the incident, was meant to demonstrate that intimidation would not silence him or his supporters. He said the large turnout showed that Kenyans would not be cowed by the use of force. “We have one country and no one will be silenced by guns, teargas or bullets,” he said.
He thanked Othaya residents for standing firm in the aftermath of the church attack, saying their resolve had resonated across the country. He also acknowledged opposition leaders who condemned the incident and what they termed the abuse of human rights, including Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka, JB Muturi, Eugene Wamalwa, Fred Matiang’i, Omingo Magara, Senator Seki and DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala.
The incident at Witima ACK Church recalled rare but controversial episodes in Kenya’s history where police have been accused of storming religious gatherings, a move that often draws sharp public backlash. Images and accounts of children affected by teargas from the Othaya incident have since circulated widely, fuelling debate over police conduct and the use of force at public and religious gatherings.
The government has previously denied allegations of targeting opposition figures or sanctioning violence, maintaining that security agencies operate within the law.
Mr Gachagua ended his address by calling for unity and an end to what he described as intimidation and repression, saying Kenyans must stand together against impunity.
