The Day of the Othaya Church Teargas Attack

Morning coverage began with a focus on the deepening rift within the Odinga dynasty, as editors framed Ida Odinga’s UNEP nomination as a strategic bribe by President Ruto while younger family members planned parallel rallies. This was quickly overshadowed by reports of a security breach at Interior CS Murkomen’s office and massive illegal hiring in county governments. By midday, editorial priority shifted entirely to the violent disruption of a church service in Othaya attended by Rigathi Gachagua. Outlets reported that police deployed teargas and live bullets inside the sanctuary, leading to Gachagua’s dramatic escape and brief reports of his disappearance. Gachagua subsequently characterized the event as a state-sponsored assassination attempt. In the evening, the narrative transitioned into a high-stakes political blame game. While opposition leaders condemned the sanctuary violence as an assault on democracy, government figures, including CS Murkomen and CS Ruku, countered by alleging the chaos was stage-managed by Gachagua himself to gain sympathy.