The fragile peace of Nyeri County was shattered this Sunday as teargas smoke choked the faithful at Witima ACK Church, triggering grave allegations of state-sponsored assassination.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, impeached in 2024 but still a potent political force in the Mountain region, has directly accused the state of attempting to eliminate him. The incident in Othaya, his home turf, descended into mayhem when what Gachagua terms "rogue police officers" disrupted the service, lobbing canisters into the congregation and, according to his detail, firing live ammunition at his convoy.

"They want me dead"

Emerging from the chaos visibly shaken but defiant, Gachagua did not use euphemisms. "This was not crowd control. This was an assassination attempt," he declared to the press. He pointed an accusatory finger directly at his former boss, President William Ruto, claiming the attack was part of a "wider strategy to silence dissenting voices" ahead of the 2027 election cycle.

The Government's Defense

The response from Nairobi was swift and sharp. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki dismissed the claims as political theatre. "Violence, whether organized by political opponents or by self for sympathy, is criminal," Kindiki stated, suggesting the chaos might have been "self-sponsored" to garner pity from the electorate.

• The Disruption: Eyewitnesses confirm canisters were thrown inside the church—a sacrilegious act that has angered religious leaders nationwide.
• The Investigation: Police have opened an inquiry, but with Gachagua accusing the police themselves, trust in any internal probe is non-existent.
• The Fallout: The incident has hardened political lines in Central Kenya, turning a Sunday service into a crime scene and a campaign rally.

As the teargas clears, the political toxicity remains. In a country where political assassinations are a dark part of history, such claims—true or false—are a dangerous match to strike in a dry room.