Salasya demands punishment for police in Gachagua’s church attack
By Mustafa Juma, January 26, 2026Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has called for stern action against police officers involved in the disruption of a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Othaya, Nyeri County, on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
Taking to his official X account on Monday, January 26, 2026, Salasya said the officers responsible must be held personally accountable for the chaos and destruction witnessed at Witima ACK Church.
The Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) lawmaker further suggested that the officers should pay for all the damages caused during the chaotic incident.
“The police officers of Othaya must be held responsible and pay all the damages because Kenya is not a banana republic. It’s time for every individual to carry his burden,” Salasya stated.
The legislator went ahead to propose disciplinary measures, including transferring the officers to hardship areas or even discontinuing their service, saying impunity within the security forces must come to an end.
Salasya maintained that accountability must apply equally to all, adding that if Gachagua committed any offence, he should be arrested and charged through due process.
“Let othaya police officers be transferred to hardship areas and even be discontinued from their jobs. If H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH, is wrong, let him be arrested and put on corridors of justice,” Salasya wrote on X.
Gachagua attacked
Police and unidentified groups stormed Witima ACK Church in Othaya, Nyeri County, and disrupted the church service, forcing Gachagua and members of the clergy to flee the church compound through a fence for safety.
The disruption has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, many of whom have decried the growing politicisation of places of worship and the use of security forces in political disputes.
Jubilee Deputy Party leader (operations) Jeremiah Kioni, Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando are some of the leaders who have also condemned the incident.
Murkomen orders probe
The incident has since drawn the government’s attention, with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ordering an immediate probe.
In a statement on Facebook on Sunday, December 25, 2026, Murkomen said he had noted the incident with great concern, emphasising that violence anywhere, and least of all in a place of worship, is unacceptable.
He added that he had spoken with Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who assured him that investigations are underway with urgency and that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
Murkomen urged law enforcement to act without fear or favour and called on the public to remain calm while authorities address the matter. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding the right to lawful assembly and freedom of worship.