NAIROBI, Kenya — In a significant move that appears to de-escalate rising political tensions within the executive, President William Ruto has stepped in to defend his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, following a weekend of chaotic scenes in Nyeri County.
The President issued a stinging rebuke to the National Police Service and political agitators, declaring that the sanctity of the church must be respected at all costs.
The President’s intervention comes after a controversial Sunday in Othaya, where a church service attended by Deputy President Gachagua was disrupted by teargas and heavy-handed police presence, an incident that has sparked nationwide outrage and claims of political persecution.
The Othaya Incident: A Sacred Space Violated
The drama unfolded at the Karima PCEA Church in Othaya, Nyeri County. What was intended to be a peaceful Sunday service turned into a theater of chaos as police clashed with supporters of the Deputy President. In scenes captured on amateur video and shared widely on social media, worshippers were seen choking on teargas fumes inside the sanctuary, with mothers and the elderly scrambling for safety through windows and narrow exits.
DP Gachagua, who has recently been at the center of a political storm regarding his “shareholders” narrative and regional kingpin status, was forced to address a coughing congregation. His allies were quick to blame “state machinery” for attempting to silence the Deputy President in his own backyard.
The optics of police lobbing teargas into a house of worship provided a rare moment of vulnerability for the administration, prompting an immediate and uncharacteristically blunt response from the Head of State.
Ruto Breaks His Silence
Speaking from State House, President Ruto did not mince his words. While he has often remained silent on the granular details of police operations, the violation of a church service appeared to be a red line for the President, who frequently identifies as a “God-fearing leader.”
“It is unacceptable. It is useless. It is retrogressive,” President Ruto stated, his tone firm as he addressed the nation. “The church is a sacred place. Regardless of the political differences people may have, or the disagreements between leaders, no one has the right to carry those fights into the house of God.”
The President’s remarks were seen by analysts as a direct “rescue” of Gachagua. By condemning the police actions, Ruto effectively validated Gachagua’s complaints that the DP was being unfairly targeted by overzealous security apparatus.
A Warning to the Police and “Overzealous” Officers
The President issued a direct order to the Inspector General of Police and the Ministry of Interior, demanding that such scenes never be repeated. He warned that security forces should not allow themselves to be used as pawns in political chess games.
“I have directed all security agencies to ensure that places of worship are protected from such unnecessary fights and disruptions,” Ruto declared. He emphasized that the role of the police is to maintain law and order, not to settle political scores or intimidate leaders during religious functions.
This directive is particularly significant given the recent narrative from the Gachagua camp, which has alleged that a “cabal” of powerful individuals within the government is using the police to undermine the Deputy President’s influence in the Mt. Kenya region.
The “Politicizing the Pulpit” Dilemma
However, the President’s warning was not one-sided. While he defended the sanctity of the church building, he also took a swipe at the culture of turning the pulpit into a political campaign platform.
Ruto cautioned all leaders—including his own Deputy and their critics—against exploiting religious gatherings for personal gain. He warned that “politicizing the pulpit” is equally damaging to the faith of the nation.
“We must respect the place of God,” the President added. “If you have political issues to settle, find a market, find a stadium, or find a boardroom. Do not bring your noise to the altar”.
Political Implications: A Unified Front?
The President’s defense of Gachagua comes at a critical time. For weeks, rumors of a rift between the two top leaders have dominated Kenyan headlines. Gachagua’s supporters have been vocal about their dissatisfaction, claiming that the DP is being sidelined in favor of newer political alliances, including the “broad-based” government framework involving members of the opposition.
By coming to Gachagua’s rescue following the Othaya incident, Ruto has signaled that while there may be internal friction, he will not tolerate the use of state force to humiliate his second-in-command.
Political analyst Prof. Herman Manyora noted, “Ruto knows that images of teargas in a church are a PR nightmare. By defending the church and, by extension, Gachagua’s right to worship in peace, he is killing two birds with one stone: he is reclaiming the moral high ground and cooling the temperatures in Mt. Kenya.”
The Road Ahead
The Othaya chaos has become a symbol of the high-stakes political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 elections. For Gachagua, the incident has served to bolster his “victim” narrative, potentially consolidating his support base among the religious and the rural population of Central Kenya.
For President Ruto, the challenge remains balancing the discipline of his security forces with the political realities of a restless deputy. His warning to the police serves as a temporary ceasefire, but the underlying tensions regarding the “politicization of the pulpit” remain a thorn in the side of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
As the smoke clears from the Karima PCEA Church, the nation waits to see if the President’s directives will be honored. For now, the “hustler” and his deputy seem to have found common ground in the sanctity of the sanctuary, but the political storm brewing outside the church doors is far from over.