A church service attended by DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua at ACK Witima Church in Othaya, Nyeri County, descended into chaos Sunday morning after police lobbed teargas.
Videos and photographs circulating on social media show scenes of panic as teargas canisters were fired and gunshots rang out near the church compound.
In a Facebook post that quickly went viral, Gachagua claimed he and his entourage were trapped inside the church as the violence unfolded.
“We are marooned in church being attacked with live bullets and tear gas and torched my vehicles. We ask Kenyans to pray for us to come out alive,” he said.
The motive behind the disruption remained unclear.
In a separate video seen by TNX Africa, a large group of masked men was seen walking along a road adjacent to the church amid the chaos.
Ahead of them, armed men can be seen pointing their firearms into the air while firing teargas canisters and several rounds, which can be heard exploding in the morning air.
It was not immediately clear who the masked men were, and authorities have yet to address the matter.
The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened political tension surrounding the former deputy president following his acrimonious fallout with President William Ruto’s administration.
Since his removal from office, Gachagua has repeatedly accused the government of harassment, intimidation and plotting to silence him politically.
Just days earlier, Gachagua attracted national attention after attending a political rally in Kagio, Kirinyaga County, wearing armoured headgear and body protective gear, citing alleged threats to his life.
The unusual appearance sparked debate over the state of his security and raised questions about whether his state-provided protection had been withdrawn or scaled down.
In recent weeks, gatherings linked to Gachagua have increasingly been characterised by heavy police presence and occasional confrontations.