Itumbi clarifies how teargas entered church in Kariobangi North incident
By Mustafa Juma, November 30, 2025Head of Presidential Special Projects & Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, has dismissed claims that police deliberately targeted worshippers during Sunday’s Kariobangi North chaos.
Taking to his official X account on Sunday, November 30, 2025, Itumbi insisted that teargas entered PCEA Kariobangi Church only as an “after-effect” of efforts to stop violent clashes outside.
He further noted that police officers were responding to a public safety emergency after two rival groups of armed youth confronted each other near the church, overwhelming the police officers initially deployed to the area.
Kariobangi North chaos
According to Itumbi, the confrontation had escalated dangerously before police reinforcements arrived.
“The FACTS of the Kariobangi Incident…Two rival groups of armed goons were already fighting outside the church, overwhelming the officers initially deployed. Some, according to Citizen TV journalists who were reporting from the ground, were armed with PANGAS, and some were even getting injured and being rushed to hospital. Police immediately called for reinforcements and, to stop bloodshed, used teargas on the attackers outside to break the violent clash,” Itumbi wrote on X.
Itumbi went ahead to state that visible injuries and weapons among the rival groups were reported during the incident. He added that police had no choice but to use teargas to break up the violent confrontation and prevent further injuries.
He insisted the church premises were not the target, accusing the United Opposition of distorting the facts to gain sympathy from the public.
“What drifted into the church was simply the after-effect, not a target. But you know what dramatic scriptwriters do in such circumstances. Btw, that is confirmed even in their own posters aimed at stroking political sympathy; their own graphics, instead of supporting the deliberate misinformation, clearly shows the teargas was lobbied OUTSIDE not INSIDE the church. This was a public safety emergency, not an assault on worshippers. Police acted to protect lives and restore order outside the church,” he stated.
Gachagua blames Ruto
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had issued a hard-hitting statement calling out President William Ruto for presiding over what he described as increasing attacks on innocent worshippers, women, children, and clergy, following chaos that broke out at PCEA Kariobangi North Church.
Gachagua shared the statement on his official Facebook account on Sunday, November 30, 2025, shortly after police fired teargas inside and outside the church during a thanksgiving service attended by him and other leaders, a morning that left children choking, congregants fleeing in panic, and, according to Gachagua, two supporters of the Democratic for the Citizens Party (DCP) with gunshot wounds.
The service had been organised to celebrate the victory of David Warui, the DCP candidate who won the Kariobangi North MCA seat in the Thursday, November 30, 2025, by-election held on Thursday.