Gachagua calls for overhaul of Nakuru security team after cleric’s murder

Speaking during the burial of the slain cleric in Tetu, Nyeri County, Gachagua accused security officers in Nakuru of failing to contain rising crime in the region, saying residents had repeatedly raised concerns over insecurity.

“Nakuru watu hawalali. The insecurity in Nakuru is on another level. We are calling for a purge of the security chiefs in Nakuru so that we can have order and people can feel safe,” Gachagua said.

He also questioned what he termed as silence from senior security officials following the killing, urging the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to release CCTV footage believed to have captured the cleric’s final moments, including the break-in at the church.

“Mbona damu ya mchungaji imemwagika na Murkomen hawezi sema kitu chochote? Sasa ni siku sita amenyamaza, IG amenyamaza, why? Is the life of our reverend a lesser life?” he posed.

The former Deputy President also asked the Interior Ministry to assure members of the clergy of their safety, arguing that the killing was not an isolated incident.

In 2025, two Catholic priests died after separate attacks. Father John Maina Ndegwa was found dumped along the Nakuru-Naivasha highway after he was reportedly abducted in Nyahururu, while Father Alloise Bett was shot dead in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, who also attended the burial, said security remains the first duty of any government.

“Kenya cannot go forward without security. The first key and cardinal duty of any government is to ensure the security of its citizens and ensure the security of property,” Wamalwa said.

Bahati MP Irene Njoki called for swift action against those behind the killing, saying the murder had shocked the community.

PCEA Moderator Thegu Mutahi said the church wants investigators to establish not only those who executed the attack but also whether anyone planned or financed it.

“We would want to know who did it, who planned it, because even those who may have been at the scene could have been sent by someone else,” he said.

Meanwhile, two suspects arrested in connection with the murder, Beryl Nafula Otenyo and Felix Odinga Okumu, were arraigned in Nakuru.

The two were not charged after the prosecution sought 30 days to detain them pending completion of investigations. The court granted detectives 21 days to hold the suspects as investigations continue.