“Today They Almost Finished Us,” Gachagua Allies Recount Nasty Clash With Police in Murang’a

A dramatic church function in Murang’a turned into a chaotic battleground on Sunday after a group of MPs allied to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were violently confronted by police officers in what they are calling an “assassination attempt.”

Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka was among the leaders attending a service at the AIPCA Kahuro Church in Kamukabi, Kigumo constituency, when the incident occurred.

Munyaka claimed he narrowly escaped death after armed officers allegedly shot at his vehicle and smashed its windscreen using a stone.

“Luckily, the driver swerved and just then, three bullets rang into the air, going through my vehicle. I was a target, and I believe that was an attempted assassination,” Munyaka told reporters, visibly shaken.

He added that masked men wielding pistols were among the attackers, and his driver sustained head injuries during the ordeal.

Munyaka said the vehicle, rendered difficult to control due to the shattered windscreen, was eventually surrounded by the officers, who further damaged it.

“I have served under all other presidents, and I have never seen such violence. We came here under a church invitation. What crime did we commit?”

Kigumo MP Joseph Munyoro, who hosted the event, also condemned the incident, noting that several attendees fled for safety and that the number of injured persons remains unknown.

“This was not a private event or a protest. It was a peaceful church service. If these officers think they are doing someone a favor, let them know they will be held personally accountable even if it takes 20 years,” said Munyoro.

Leaders scamper for safety after police officers lobbed teargas canisters at Kamukabi shopping centre, Kigumo constituency on July 27, 2025

Former Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau, who said his car was hit by bullets on both sides, termed the attack “a blatant case of attempted murder.”

“If I died today, what would you have told my children? You can clearly see the bullet holes weren’t aimed at my feet,” said Kamau. He alleged that a bodyguard to a local political leader was behind the shooting.

Nyandarua Senator John Methu, also present, described the force used as “extreme and unjustified.” He claimed the officers tried to redirect the leaders to another road where more assailants were waiting, and when he tried to negotiate with them, they fired tear gas at close range.

“Why would a police officer shoot at a vehicle at close range? Kenyans have a right to assemble, associate, and speak freely,” Methu said.

Prominent lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, who was also present, called for an international probe into the incident. “The people who attacked us were police officers. This is why we are calling on local and international non-state actors to step in and save our democracy and constitution,” he said.

Njiru confirmed that the matter was reported at the Gachocho police post. “We will write a report to IPOA (Independent Policing Oversight Authority), but we won’t surrender the recovered bullets to them yet because we don’t trust them.”

There has been no official comment from the National Police Service as of press time, and it remains unclear why the officers were deployed to the site or who ordered the operation.

The incident is likely to further stoke tensions between Gachagua’s allies and government institutions amid growing political rifts within the Kenya Kwanza coalition.