Tension and uncertainty gripped congregants and local residents in Othaya on Sunday as a church service descended into chaos under unclear circumstances, triggering panic and frantic scenes outside the place of worship.
Worshippers scattered in all directions as plumes of tear gas filled the air, cutting short prayers and sermons in what was meant to be a calm spiritual gathering.
Democratic Congress Party (DCP) Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has now made explosive claims regarding what transpired during the incident.
Speaking shortly after the chaos, Malala alleged that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was forcibly taken away in what he termed as an abduction amid the teargas disruption at the Othaya church service.
According to Malala, the former deputy president was targeted as security forces moved in, insisting that the operation was neither accidental nor aimed at crowd control.
He claimed that Gachagua was whisked away under heavy security, leaving his allies and supporters in shock. Malala condemned the incident, terming it a dangerous escalation of political intimidation and suppression of dissenting voices.
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“These actions undermine democratic freedoms and the sanctity of religious spaces,” Malala said, adding that churches should never become theatres of political confrontation or state force.
He called on authorities to explain the motive behind the operation and clarify Gachagua’s whereabouts following the incident.
However, government officials have yet to issue a detailed statement addressing the abduction claims. Security agencies have only acknowledged that they responded to a security situation at the venue, without offering specifics.
Allies of Gachagua have demanded transparency, accusing the state of using force to silence critics of the current administration.
The incident comes amid rising political temperatures and deepening divisions within the country’s leadership, with churches increasingly becoming platforms for political messaging.
As pressure mounts, calls for an independent investigation into the Othaya chaos continue to grow, with leaders warning that failure to address the matter could erode public trust in state institutions.
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