Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of pushing the Jesus Winner Ministry church to a storm.
The church, situated in Roysambu, Nairobi county, was the talk of town for days after the president made monetary pledges standing at millions of shillings.
A section of the youth mobilised themselves to raid the church to register their displeasure with the leadership under Bishop Edward Mwai for receiving what could have been looted from the public.
On Sunday, March 9, the youth made good their threats and stormed the church; they were however pushed back by contingents of police officers who were deployed early morning to counter any kind of disorder.
About 38 protesters were arrested, with the police launching teargas to repulse the others who were threatening to come near the church.
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Reacting to the events, Gachagua said Ruto was to be blamed for the chaos.
Speaking at a church service in Kitengela, Kajiado county, the former deputy president observed that Jesus Winner Ministry had been undertaking its pastoral mission peacefully without mayhem until Ruto made a visit.
"He has left problems at that church. At this time, for a service to go on, officers from the General Service Unit (GSU) must be there. If you allow him to this church, be prepared to work with the police. The church was going well; now he (Ruto) went there, and he has now left them a big problem," Gachagua said.
Jesus Winner Ministry has been at the centre of a storm sparked by Ruto's multi-million shilling donation.
While attending a service at the church on Sunday, March 2, the president pledged KSh 120 million from him and friends toward the construction of another church.
The hefty pledges by the president angered a section of Kenyans, who took to social media to register their astonishment.
They bashed Bishop Mwai, the resident cleric, for accepting what they said were proceeds of corruption; they vowed to raid the church to take the monies they argued were their taxes.
The preacher said there was no problem with the president attending the church, considering his predecessors, Uhuru Kenyatta and Mwai Kibaki, had also attended it in the past, including former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
