The State machinery turns to the public, admitting it needs 'citizen spies' to unmask the perpetrators of the Gachagua church attack. But will the real masterminds ever be touched?

The National Police Service (NPS) has issued a desperate appeal for information following the teargas attack at St. Peter’s ACK in Witima, Othaya. In a statement released late Sunday, the police urged anyone with video footage or eyewitness accounts to surrender them to the DCI. It is an admission of limitation: despite the heavy security presence at the event, the attackers slipped away into the wind.

The "Rogue Elements" Theory

Police sources are spinning the narrative of "rogue elements"—hired goons who infiltrated the service to cause embarrassment. "We are treating this as a criminal act of hooliganism," the statement read. "The sanctity of the church must be respected."

However, this narrative clashes with the reality on the ground. The sophistication of the attack, using standard-issue police teargas, points to involvement from within the security apparatus itself. Asking the public to identify the attackers might be a wild goose chase if the orders came from "above."

The Political Pressure

The Inspector General is feeling the heat. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-13)With the Mt. Kenya region already volatile, the Othaya incident threatens to be the spark that lights the fuse. The church leadership has given the police a 48-hour ultimatum to produce suspects.

• The Stakes: If the police fail to make arrests, it confirms the suspicion of state complicity.
• The risk: If they arrest "small fish," the public will see through the charade.

The Court of Public Opinion

As detectives comb the village of Witima for clues, the locals remain tight-lipped. In Central Kenya, trust in the uniformed forces is at an all-time low. The police are seeking help, but they may find that the only thing the public is willing to offer is silence.