Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that the William Ruto administration is orchestrating a sustained manhunt aimed at assassinating him ahead of the 2027 General Election, following a dramatic teargas attack that disrupted a church service he was attending in Nyeri County on Sunday.
The incident occurred at Wairima ACK Church in Othaya, where Gachagua was a guest during a Sunday worship service. Midway through the service, teargas canisters were lobbed into the church compound, triggering panic among congregants and forcing the service to come to an abrupt halt.
Videos obtained showed worshippers fleeing the church in distress, while others are seen praying and wailing amid the chaos. In one clip, a young girl is seen fainting as members of the congregation rush to assist her, carrying her to safety. Women and children were among those most affected, many covering their mouths and noses as they struggled to breathe while seeking fresh air outside the church.
The attack also disrupted media coverage of the event, with a live broadcast ending abruptly as the effects of the teargas took hold.
Reacting to the incident, #Gachagua accused state security agencies and state-sponsored groups of being behind the attack, claiming the operation was part of a broader plan to eliminate him politically and physically. He further alleged that live bullets were fired during the chaos and that his motorcade was vandalised, with some vehicles reportedly torched.
In a strongly worded statement, the former Deputy President directly blamed President William Ruto, claiming that the attack was an attempted assassination carried out under the guise of crowd control.
“William Ruto has sent a killer squad to kill us inside Wairima ACK #Church, Othaya. We are marooned in church, being attacked with live bullets and teargas, and my vehicles have been torched. We ask Kenyans to pray for us to come out alive,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua warned that the incident was not isolated, asserting that he has been under increasing surveillance, intimidation, and targeted attacks since his fallout with the Kenya Kwanza administration. He framed the church incident as evidence of a deliberate state-sponsored campaign to silence him ahead of the next general election.
As of the time of publication, the government and police had not issued an official response to the allegations.