Tension gripped Meru County on Sunday morning after opposition leaders allied to Rigathi Gachagua were blocked from accessing a church service where Deputy President Kithure Kindiki was the chief guest.
The incident occurred at Kaaga Methodist Church, where security had been heavily deployed before the service began. Police officers guarded the church compound and surrounding roads, creating a tense atmosphere as political camps linked to both leaders converged in the area.
Members of Gachagua’s advance team were reportedly denied entry into the church, which quickly sparked a standoff between them and the security officers stationed at the gate.
Videos that later circulated on social media showed heated exchanges, with some opposition allies demanding answers from the police.
Among those seen confronting officers was senatorial aspirant Caroline Karimi Muriuki, who questioned why they were being blocked despite claiming they had received an invitation from the church leadership.
According to her, the security presence in the area was unusually high, with over 100 police officers deployed around the church and even near the hotel where members of the opposition team were staying.
“We want to know why we cannot be allowed in, yet an invitation was extended to us by the bishop,” Karimi said during the confrontation.
The situation became even more dramatic after lawyer Ndegwa Njiru alleged that the personal assistant to the former Deputy President had been abducted by police officers.
He also claimed that security agencies had surrounded the hotel where members of the United Opposition spent the night.
Njiru questioned why attending a church service had suddenly become a security issue, insisting that the group had traveled to Meru peacefully and only intended to attend Sunday worship.
“We slept here in Meru waiting to attend the church service, but helicopters and hundreds of police officers were deployed. Even near our hotel we are surrounded by police,” he said.
The confrontation highlighted the deep political divisions currently shaping the country. Leaders allied to Gachagua have been moving across several regions as part of the United Opposition’s activities, a development that has often drawn strong reactions from political rivals.
Sunday’s incident also raised fresh concerns about the growing political tension spilling into religious spaces, which are traditionally seen as neutral grounds where leaders from different sides can meet peacefully.
Despite the standoff outside the church, the service where Deputy President Kindiki was present continued under tight security.
The situation in Meru remained tense as more details continued to emerge, with many observers expressing concern over the increasing politicization of religious gatherings.
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Politics