Fresh details have emerged regarding the violent invasion of All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi by suspected hired goons.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage has exposed the sequence of events that unfolded during the shocking attack on Friday morning.
The footage captures how groups of men riding motorcycles forcefully entered the cathedral grounds at around 9 am, disrupting a post-budget review meeting attended by civil society leaders, religious figures, lawyers and members of the public.
The meeting had been convened a day after the National Treasury presented the 2026/27 national budget and was intended to provide a platform for discussion on the budget's implications for ordinary Kenyans.
According to accounts pieced together from the CCTV recordings, the first group of attackers arrived on motorcycles and attempted to storm the church compound.
Police officers responded and initially managed to repel
them. However, the gang allegedly turned its attention to pedestrians along
Valley Road and Kenyatta Avenue, where several people were reportedly robbed as
panic spread in the area.
About 30 minutes later, the attackers returned, this time approaching the cathedral on foot.
The footage shows the group entering the church compound and
making their way into the conference venue where the budget discussion was
underway.
Inside the building, scenes of confusion and fear unfolded as participants scrambled to safety.
CCTV cameras on the second floor captured at least five suspected goons confronting and robbing individuals attempting to flee to the third floor. One police officer is seen trying to intervene but appears overwhelmed by the unfolding chaos.
Outside the cathedral, gunshots can be heard as security officers attempted to disperse the attackers and restore order.
One suspect was reportedly arrested during the incident and taken to Kibre Police Station for questioning. However, police had not provided a comprehensive update on the investigation or disclosed whether additional arrests had been made.
The brazen attack has sparked widespread condemnation from religious leaders, legal practitioners and human rights organisations, who have questioned how such an incident could occur in broad daylight at one of Nairobi's most prominent places of worship.
The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) said it was appalled by the disruption of what it described as a peaceful multi-stakeholder forum that had brought together citizens, faith leaders, civil society organisations and private sector representatives to discuss issues affecting the country.
"The violent disruption of a peaceful public forum is unacceptable and undermines democratic engagement and dialogue," the council said in a statement.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Defenders Coalition also condemned the incident, calling for swift investigations and prosecution of those responsible.
"The growing use of organised gangs to intimidate citizens and disrupt lawful public gatherings poses a serious threat to the rule of law and constitutional freedoms," the groups said separately.
