Kenyan Opposition Leader Alleges Assassination Attempt by President

Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s former deputy president and now a leading opposition figure, has alleged an attempt on his life during a Sunday church service in Othaya, Nyeri county, escalating an already bitter political standoff with Kenyan President William Ruto. The incident, which police say occurred at about 11:00 local time (08:00 GMT), has prompted an official investigation and competing claims from both sides.

Gachagua, who was removed from office in a 2024 impeachment trial, told the BBC that rogue officers “shot at everybody and tear-gassed the church,” while the government accused him of staging the episode.

According to police statements, a tear-gas canister was thrown inside St. Peters Anglican Church, disrupting worship and damaging several vehicles within the compound. Authorities said no injuries were reported and appealed for witnesses.

Gachagua said he was escorted to safety by his security team, later alleging that attackers torched his car and beat congregants outside the church. In a Jan. 25 post on X, he accused President William Ruto of sending a “killer squad” to Wairima ACK Church in Othaya, saying they were trapped inside as live bullets and tear gas were used, and appealed to Kenyans to pray for their safe exit.

He later told the BBC that “armed police officers with AK47s and tear gas descended on the church” while also posting a picture of a person he claimed was the mastermind of the attack.

“Staged-Managed Attacks” Counterclaim

The government rejected Gachagua’s account. Isaac Mwaura, a government spokesperson, told the BBC on Monday: “Those are staged-managed attacks to seek public sympathy and to whip up emotions.”

In an earlier press conference, Gachagua dismissed the accusation, asking, “Where can we get access to tear gas?... Where do we get access to AK-47 assault rifles?”

Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the police chief had assured him that perpetrators would be brought to justice, adding on X: “Violence anywhere, and least of all in a place of worship, is unacceptable.” He said police must act “without fear or favour.”

Gachagua, a wealthy businessman from the Mount Kenya region and once Ruto’s key political ally, said he has not filed a formal complaint because it was the police that attacked him. H said “You cannot report the police to the police.”

Under Kenya’s constitution, his Senate conviction bars him from holding public office again. He pleaded not guilty to 11 charges and was found guilty of five, including inciting ethnic divisions and violating his oath of office. Despite this, he maintains he will be on the presidential ballot next year, citing an ongoing appeal and the absence of a Supreme Court ruling.

Electoral Math and Street Pressure

The confrontation revives the political rupture that followed the pair’s joint victory in 2022, when Ruto relied heavily on Mount Kenya support, a Kikuyu heartland and Kenya’s largest voting bloc.

The latest episode also unfolds against broader public discontent. On June 27, 2025, protesters drafted a mock resignation letter on his behalf, to urge Ruto to step down, underscoring the pressure facing the administration as security allegations intersect with economic grievances and elite rivalries.

For now, the case hinges on the police inquiry into events at St Peters Anglican Church and on reconciling sharply divergent narratives: Gachagua’s claim of an organized attempt on his life, and the government’s assertion of political theater. With vehicles damaged, tear gas deployed, and allegations involving AK-47s, the church incident has become a flashpoint for questions about accountability, the politicization of security services, and the durability of Kenya’s post-2022 governing compact.