Chaos erupted in Kariobangi North Estate in Nairobi on Sunday, November 30, after rival political groups clashed outside the PCEA church where former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had gone to worship.
The violence ensued after a group of youths, alleged to have been sponsored to disrupt the event, confronted another faction believed to be supporters of Gachagua.
In the incident that occurred minutes before noon, the two sides engaged in heated confrontations as tensions rose just meters from the church’s entrance.
As the situation escalated, police officers who were on high alert quickly intervened and began dispersing the two groups, who had blocked the entire road that accesses the church's premises.
During the incident, the armed officers lobbed tear gas canisters and fired shots in the air in an attempt to disperse the rowdy groups who were adamant.
The police forcefully ejected the rival groups, with footage of the incident showing residents and passersby scampering for safety as chaos disrupted businesses within the estate.
The church service was momentarily halted for about five minutes as the congregants struggled to contain the effects of fumes emanating from the used tear gas canisters.
Congregants could be seen covering their noses using handkerchiefs as Gachagua's ally and Embakasi Central Member of Parliament Benjamin Mejjadonk delivered his speech.
While no serious injuries were reported from the mid-morning incident, a heavy presence was witnessed in the area as the church service proceeded uninterrupted.
The incident comes hardly three days after Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate David Warui won the Kariobangi North Member of the County Assembly race.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Warui garnered 2,282 votes, defeating second-place independent candidate Kimanzi John Katua, who garnered 1,956 votes.
The win handed DCP a major boost in the political arena, with Warui describing the win as a defining moment not just for Kariobangi North but even for the DCP.
Today, Gachagua had gone to attend a Thanksgiving service for Warui at the PCEA church when the violence broke out. However, the party is yet to issue any formal statement regarding the incident.
