Kenyan politician Eric Wamumbi, the Mathira MP, admits to spying on the phone of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, dropping a bombshell in a press conference that has everyone talking. He says his team has solid proof from those taps showing Gachagua set up tear gas attacks with police help during a chaotic church service. This all blew up after violence hit Witima ACK Church in Othaya on January 26, 2026, leaving people hurt and vehicles wrecked.
The whole mess started when Gachagua showed up for Sunday worship. Eyewitnesses say things turned ugly fast – tear gas canisters flying into the crowd, shots ringing out, tyres slashed on cars, and even one vehicle set on fire. Women and kids got caught in the panic, some ending up in the hospital with injuries from the stampede or the gas itself.
Gachagua, speaking from his home in Nyeri later that day, pointed fingers at a group of over 15 police officers. He claimed they linked back to bodyguards for Murang’a Woman Rep Betty Maina and gathered at Wamumbi’s place before storming the church. It was no random hit, he said – a planned ambush to scare him off the political scene.
But Wamumbi fired back hard in his own briefing. He flat-out denied any role in the attack and flipped the script, calling it a total setup by Gachagua to drum up sympathy.
“We spied on Gachagua’s phone,” Wamumbi told reporters straight up. “We have evidence to prove how he has been organising tear gas with police officers.”
He named a police constable, William Kama Masharia, as the key player – a guy who supposedly travels with Gachagua and has easy access to tear gas canisters. Wamumbi even spilt details on communications nabbed from phones, linking this constable to goons and another bodyguard named Kufi, who works for an MP he called “Honourable Kawushia”.
This isn’t just trash talk; Wamumbi says he’s ready to hand over the proof to investigators. He painted a picture of Gachagua’s team coordinating with hired thugs to throw the gas from inside the church, creating chaos on purpose.
“The canister came from inside, thrown by a goon to make kids cry and build pity,” he explained. No teargas from outside, according to him – all staged to look like an outside hit. And get this: he accused Gachagua’s PA, Munene Wa Mumbi, of rounding up the muscle for the job.
Gachagua’s camp isn’t buying it. They’ve called the whole thing a smear job, tying it to bigger political fights. Since then, he’s been out there as a leader in the Democratic Change Party or something similar, rallying crowds in central Kenya.
Attacks like this aren’t new for him – he’s faced disruptions at events before, from by-elections to prayer meetings. His supporters see this as part of a pattern to silence him ahead of the 2027 elections.
Church leaders are furious. Bishop Murithi from the ACK diocese condemned the violence, saying police fired live ammo and teargas right in a place of worship.
“Turning sacred ground into a battlefield? That’s crossing a line,” he told local media. Other big names, like former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i, jumped in too, calling it a rights violation and a sign of slipping law and order. Even Oburu Odinga weighed in, blasting the use of force against peaceful gatherings.
Social media lit up right away. People shared videos of the chaos – smoke filling the church, folks running for cover, kids screaming. One post joked about politicians treating churches like wrestling rings, but most were dead serious.
“If MPs are spying on each other’s phones, what’s next? We’re all fair game?” a user from Nairobi wrote. Others demanded a full probe by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, worried this could spark more unrest in the Mt Kenya region, where Gachagua still has strong backing.
Wamumbi’s admission to spying raises big questions. Is this legal? In Kenya, wiretapping without a court order is against the law, and critics say it smells like dirty politics.
Some see it as Wamumbi, a Ruto ally, trying to bury Gachagua for good. Betty Maina, the woman rep mentioned, hasn’t spoken out yet, but her name being dragged in adds fuel. Police have stayed quiet on investigations so far, despite promises to look into past hits on Gachagua.
This feud shows how heated things are getting as elections loom. Gachagua came up from Mathira himself – his brother held the seat before him – so this feels personal.
Wamumbi stepped in after, riding the United Democratic Alliance wave. Now, with tear gas and phone taps in the mix, it’s anyone’s guess what comes next. Calls for calm are everywhere, but if proof surfaces, heads could roll.
Kenya’s seen its share of political drama, from assassinations like JM Kariuki’s back in the day to recent protests with batons and gas. But spying admissions? That’s rare. As one analyst put it, “This could open a can of worms – who else is listening?” For now, both sides are digging in, and the public waits for the truth to shake out.
