Leaders allied to the United Opposition have vowed to pursue legal action against Kithure Kindiki. The dramatic standoff at Kaaga Methodist Church in Meru County prevented them from attending a church service on Sunday, March 8.
Speaking at a separate church service at EATC Njotene, Kalonzo Musyoka accused the government of using intimidation tactics. He detailed events earlier in the day when they tried to attend the church service.
“This morning, the United Opposition was denied the chance to witness the induction of a good Bishop,” Kalonzo said to congregants.
Security officers blocked their entry to the church compound, preventing them from attending the service. He called the move a violation of fundamental freedoms.
“This is a deliberate act of political repression carried out at the House of God,” Kalonzo added.
Kalonzo directly accused Kithure Kindiki of orchestrating the police action that blocked opposition leaders from accessing the church.
The Deputy President attended the same church service and addressed residents during the event. Kalonzo argued the police restriction raised serious concerns about political tolerance and freedom of worship.
While addressing congregants, Kalonzo emphasised that the opposition had no dispute with the church leadership. He insisted the disagreement was purely political, linked to wider concerns about political space in the country.
“The Deputy President used police to bar citizens from worshipping freely. That is not governance. Those are marks of a regime gripped with fear,” he said.
The opposition leader said they would pursue legal and constitutional avenues in response to the incident.
“We shall be pursuing all available legal and constitutional avenues in response to what happened in Meru today,” Kalonzo stated.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also criticised events at Kaaga Methodist Church during the Njotene service.
Gachagua said the opposition had been invited to attend the bishop’s induction ceremony but faced last-minute resistance from authorities in Meru.
“We had been invited by the bishop to Kaaga Methodist to witness his inauguration, but someone attached to William Ruto called Kindiki tried to stop us,” Gachagua alleged.
The standoff intensified political tensions between government allies and opposition leaders. The incident occurred amid ongoing opposition mobilisation in the region.
Observers note the confrontation highlights the growing rivalry between government allies and opposition figures as political alignments shift ahead of future contests.
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