Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has issued a sharp rebuttal to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who directly implicated him in the violent disruption of a church service in Othaya on Sunday, January 26.
The incident, at Witima ACK Church, saw masked police officers fire live rounds, lob teargas at worshippers, and vandalize vehicles in Gachagua’s entourage. Gachagua has described the attack as a state-sponsored assassination attempt amid rising political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Gachagua’s Allegation: A Photo and a Claim
On Monday, Gachagua took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to accuse Kindiki. He shared a photo of Kindiki at a public event with a mysterious man seated behind him, circled in red. Gachagua identified this individual as the police officer who led the church attack.
“Bwana saprano I hear you are calling for investigations. This is your officer who led the attack in Witima ACK church. You are part and parcel of the conspiracy,” Gachagua wrote.
Kindiki’s Rejoinder: Denial and Disavowal
In a swift and detailed response on X, Deputy President Kindiki categorically denied any involvement.
- Disowning the Individual: Kindiki stated that the circled man was not known to him or part of his staff. “The image you have circled is not of any officer or staff attached to me. I don’t know who that is,” he wrote.
- Rejecting the Narrative: He dismissed Gachagua’s attempt to link him to the violence, saying, “I know you are desperate to associate me in whatever way with the criminal act involving you yesterday. Unfortunately for you, this is not where to find me.”
- Philosophy of Politics: Kindiki emphasized his commitment to non-violent politics. “I condemned and will continue to condemn the backward behaviour of the use of violence to transact politics… I use logic, persuasion and consensus,” he stated, adding that he has been in politics longer than Gachagua.
- Call for Accountability: While condemning the attack, he urged authorities to ensure the organizers are held accountable, warning that failure to do so could cause further harm to the country.
A Clash of Narratives
The exchange highlights a deepening political rift. Earlier, Kindiki had suggested the chaos might have been a “self-staged” drama for political sympathy, carefully stating, “Violence, whether organized by political opponents, or by self for sympathy… is a criminal act.”
Gachagua, however, maintains that the violent crackdown—including tear-gassing, live bullets, and vehicle torching—was a deliberate plot against him.
The public accusations between the two senior leaders have intensified scrutiny on the Witima incident, turning it from a security breach into a high-stakes political confrontation, with each side offering starkly different accounts of its origins and purpose.
