NAIROBI, Kenya — Fresh allegations have emerged over last week's disruption at All Saints' Cathedral in Nairobi, after one of the individuals involved claimed the operation was planned in advance and coordinated by political actors with the assistance of police officers.
The claims, made during an interview broadcast by Citizen TV on Monday, have intensified calls for a thorough investigation into an incident that drew widespread condemnation from religious leaders, civil society groups and politicians across the political divide.
The man, whose identity was concealed, said he was among a group recruited on the evening of June 11 and promised KSh2,000 to disrupt what they were initially told would be a political gathering linked to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Nairobi's central business district.
“We were told that there was a meeting of the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Nairobi CBD,” he said. “At the time, we were told that the quick job to disrupt the meeting would cost KSh2,000.”
According to his account, each recruit was instructed to arrive with a motorbike. The requirement, he suggested, was intended to allow the group to move quickly and leave the area without attracting attention.
However, he claimed that the plan changed on the day of the operation. Instead of heading to a political meeting, the group was directed to All Saints' Cathedral, where civil society representatives had gathered for discussions related to the national budget.
The man alleged that plain-clothes police officers were embedded within the group and helped coordinate activities on the ground.
“When we were heading to the destination, we were diverted to All Saints' Cathedral, where the police we were with instructed us to park the motorbikes outside,” he said.
He further claimed that organisers had assured the group there were no surveillance cameras at the venue. According to his account, panic broke out after one of the recruits noticed CCTV cameras within the church compound.
“Initially, we were told that the venue would have no CCTV cameras,” he said. “After one of the boys saw a CCTV camera, there was confusion because the police distanced themselves from us and denied being involved.”
The allegations have not been independently verified, and neither the National Police Service nor the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has publicly responded to the specific claims made during the interview.
The incident at All Saints' Cathedral sparked national concern because of the venue's significance as one of Nairobi's best-known places of worship and public dialogue. Witnesses reported scenes of disruption as a gathering involving civil society groups was interrupted.
Despite claiming they had been abandoned during the operation, the interviewee said the recruits were ultimately paid, raising further questions about who financed the activity and whether it was organised by individuals acting on behalf of political interests.
The allegations come as authorities continue investigating the incident.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has directed security agencies to conduct a comprehensive inquiry. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has confirmed that two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the disruption.
The episode has also reignited debate about the use of hired groups in political disputes. Speaking after the incident, veteran politician and Orange Democratic Movement chairman Oburu Oginga criticised what he described as the growing practice of recruiting gangs to advance political interests.
As investigators seek to establish what happened, questions remain over who planned the operation, who financed it and whether any public officials were involved.
For now, the allegations remain just that — allegations. The task facing investigators will be to determine whether the claims can be supported by evidence and whether those responsible can be held accountable.