Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Sunday, April 27, 2025, made his first public church appearance since the violent disruption at PCEA Mwiki earlier this month.
Gachagua attended the Celebration Service of the 25th Anniversary of St. Louis-Igwamiti Parish in Ol Joro-Orok Constituency, Nyandarua County, where he was warmly received by congregants.
During the event, Gachagua was seen engaging in prayer, mingling with parishioners, and taking part in the day’s celebrations at St. Louis-Igwamiti Parish.
Mwiki incident
His appearance comes just weeks after chaos marred a church service at PCEA Mwiki, where armed intruders stormed the service he was attending as a guest of honour.
During the April 6, 2025, incident, videos widely circulated on social media captured the moment Gachagua’s security detail responded swiftly, firing shots into the air to repel the attackers and restore calm.
The disruption caused panic among worshippers, with many seen rushing out of the sanctuary as the standoff unfolded.
Some of Gachagua’s vehicles were damaged after stones were hurled at them, while church seats were broken in the commotion.
Speaking after the situation was brought under control, Gachagua condemned the incident as an attempt to curtail his freedom of movement and association rights that are enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya.
“We don’t understand why some people are sending others to attack us, yet we have come to do the Lord’s work,” Gachagua lamented.
“Kenya is a country governed by the rule of law and constitutionalism. Our Constitution grants us freedoms of worship, association, speech, and movement. But we are now seeing consistent efforts to restrict our freedom to move around the country and to associate with those who are like-minded,” he added.
Snubs church invite
In a separate development, Gachagua recently disclosed that he declined an invitation to a high-profile memorial mass in Nairobi for the late Pope Francis, choosing instead to attend a family burial.
Speaking on Thursday, April 24, 2025, during the funeral of his aunt, Gladwell Wambui Wachira, in Hiriga, Mathira Constituency, Gachagua emphasised the enduring importance of family over public obligations.
“There was a very big occasion today in Nairobi — a mass in honour of the late Pope, which had been convened by the Nairobi Archbishop,” Gachagua said.
“I sat down and did my calculations. I asked myself, should I travel to Nairobi to attend the Pope’s mass, or should I remain here and stand with my family at the burial of my mother’s sister? I chose to be here. I chose family,” he added.
Gachagua reflected on the fleeting nature of politics, noting that, at the end of all public service, it is family that remains constant.
“Family is where it all ends. After all the politics, all the noise, and all the drama, it is the family that remains. That is why I am here,” he said.