Kenyans deserve better than this unending political spectacle

People scamper for safety after suspected plain-clothes police officers lobbed teargas into Witima Anglican Church of Kenya in Othaya, Nyeri County, on January 25, 2026. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

A week ago, a Sunday worship service at St Peter’s Anglican Church of Kenya in Othaya, Nyeri County, was violently disrupted when tear gas and live ammunition were unleashed on worshippers, who included children and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. For the public, this was a moment of shock as what should have been a quiet moment of spiritual reflection turned into chaos inside a sacred space. The official police account suggests that a tear gas canister was thrown into the church compound, forcing worshippers to flee.