Eddy Oketch slams church attack on Gachagua, demands police accountability
By Kenneth Mwenda, January 29, 2026Senator Eddy Oketch has condemned the violent disruption of a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, calling for police accountability and a full parliamentary investigation into the incident.
The attack happened on January 25, 2026 at ACK Witima Church in Othaya, Nyeri County. Men stormed the church during the service and fired live bullets while throwing teargas into the congregation. Worshippers, including children and elderly people, fled in panic. Several vehicles linked to Gachagua’s entourage sustained serious damage.
Gachagua later described the incident as a state-sponsored assassination attempt. Police denied the claim and said they had opened investigations, but the incident deepened political tensions in an already divided country.
Speaking ona TV interview on Thursday, January 29, 2026, Oketch said the violence raised serious concerns about the state of security in Kenya.
Oketch said the attack deeply troubled him, especially because it exposed children and churchgoers to political violence. He said no political disagreement justified violence in sacred or public spaces. According to him, such acts must stop whether they occur in a church, school, market, or any other place.
He pointed to images from the scene and said authorities could identify the attackers if they acted with honesty and urgency. Oketch stressed that accountability must start with the police. He said officers deployed to restore order must clearly document their actions and report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Fears of armed militias
Oketch warned that the incident created a dangerous impression that police officers could be hired to carry out unlawful acts. He said if the armed men were police officers, then the public deserved answers. If they were not police, he said, the country faced an even bigger problem.
“If these are not policemen, then they are militia with guns,” he said. He questioned how armed groups could operate openly in Kenya without detection, adding that such a situation was unacceptable.
The senator also criticised the growing use of hired goons in Kenyan politics. He said some politicians now treat violence as part of their campaign strategy instead of focusing on leadership and service. According to Oketch, this trend threatened democracy and normalised lawlessness.
He urged Kenyans to reject violence and demanded that leaders take responsibility for the actions linked to them. Oketch warned that failure to investigate and punish those involved would further divide the country.