Since his impeachment in October 2024, Kenya's former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has faced a pattern of violent attacks at public events that raises urgent questions about political stability and state accountability.
The incidents span from Limuru to Kasarani, from Kariobangi to Gatundu South. Each follows a similar script: Gachagua attends a church service, funeral, or political gathering. Armed groups arrive. Violence erupts. Gachagua escapes, sometimes barely.
At a Nyeri cathedral in March 2025, youths blocked Gachagua from leaving after a bishop's enthronement, leading to street battles. In Kasarani in April, gunshots were fired as his private security repelled intruders at a Sunday church service. In November 2025 at Kariobangi North, police used teargas and live ammunition to disperse goons who attacked a thanksgiving service with stones and bottles.
The most severe incidents occurred in January 2026 in Gatundu South and Othaya, where Gachagua reported being "marooned" inside churches. At Witima ACK in Othaya, teargas canisters were lobbed into the sanctuary while children and elderly worshippers were present. Gachagua's vehicle was reportedly torched.
Gachagua has consistently accused the government of orchestrating the attacks, claiming a "killer squad" has been authorized to eliminate him. He alleges that his state security detail was withdrawn days before the violence began, leaving him vulnerable. He points to what he describes as coordination between police and attackers, citing instances where officers allegedly provided safe corridors for assailants.
The government's response has been dismissive and, at times, threatening. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen warned Gachagua that his "constant allegations of state-sponsored assassination could lead to his arrest for incitement to violence." Police statements have characterized the incidents as local political friction or unauthorized actions by Gachagua's private security.
Establishing the truth has proven difficult. Both sides blame the other. Gachagua's supporters claim the attacks are state-sponsored intimidation designed to silence opposition. Government officials and allied politicians argue Gachagua is staging or provoking incidents to gain sympathy and portray himself as a victim.
What's undeniable is that innocent Kenyans are caught in the crossfire. Worshippers, mourners, and residents have been teargassed, assaulted, and terrorized. Churches have become battlegrounds. Democratic space is shrinking.
Dr. Wanjiru Gikonyo, a political analyst at the University of Nairobi, sees troubling echoes of Kenya's violent past. "When political competition spills into churches and funerals, when security forces either orchestrate violence or fail to prevent it, we're approaching a dangerous threshold," she says. "This isn't just about Gachagua. It's about whether Kenya's democratic institutions can contain political conflict."
The pattern is especially concerning given Gachagua's base in Central Kenya, where memories of post-election violence remain raw. Ethnic mobilization around the former deputy president could fracture the country along familiar fault lines.
Kenya has built a reputation as East Africa's stable democracy, a hub for international organizations and investment. But stability built on intimidation is fragile. If former senior officials can be attacked with impunity at churches and public gatherings, what message does that send about political pluralism?
"We need independent investigations, transparent prosecutions, and political leaders who value peace over power," says Dr. Gikonyo. "Otherwise, we're rehearsing for something much worse."
54 countries, 2,000 languages, 1.4 billion people. This is one story about whether Kenya's democratic gains can survive its political tensions.
