Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit on Wednesday led a special cleansing and dedication service at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi following last month's violent attack by suspected goons.
The prayers, attended by church leaders, clergy and members of the congregation, were held to symbolically cleanse the cathedral after the June incident, which Sapit described as an assault on the sanctity of the church and the country's democratic freedoms.
Addressing the congregation after the service, the Archbishop urged the government to move beyond issuing warnings and take decisive action against the growing menace of organised gangs, warning that continued inaction would only embolden criminal groups.
Sapit said the government must stop being "all bark and no bite" in its response to the escalating goon culture that has increasingly disrupted peaceful public gatherings across the country.
"The time for action is now. If the government wants to regain public trust, it must demonstrate that nobody is above the law," Sapit said.
He argued that the government's credibility had been eroded by persistent allegations linking state actors to the deployment of violent gangs to intimidate critics and disrupt public events.
According to the Archbishop, failure to arrest those behind the attacks and expose their financiers risks creating a culture of impunity that could have serious consequences for the country's democratic institutions.
"We were attacked last month. The case is already in court, but we want to see the goons arrested and the identity of those who sent them made public. This culture must be brought to an end," he said.
On June 12, armed goons stormed an ongoing post-budget accountability forum at All Saints Cathedral, disrupting discussions organised by civil society organisations. Witnesses said the attackers arrived both on motorcycles and on foot before forcing their way into the church compound.
The assailants reportedly robbed participants of mobile phones and other valuables while also vandalising property within the cathedral grounds. The attack caused panic among attendees, forcing many to flee as the meeting was brought to an abrupt halt.
The forum had brought together representatives of civil society organisations, governance advocates and members of the public to examine the implications of the 2026/27 national budget and evaluate its impact on key sectors of the economy and public service delivery.
Witnesses said the attackers shouted slogans as they attempted to stop the discussions, creating fear among participants before security personnel responded to the incident.
Although no serious injuries were immediately reported, participants described the attack as an act of intimidation and a direct assault on the constitutional rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression.
The incident attracted widespread condemnation from the Anglican Church of Kenya and the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), both of which called for thorough investigations and swift prosecution of those responsible.
Civil society leaders also condemned the disruption, maintaining that peaceful public forums are essential to democratic participation, transparency and accountability, particularly on matters relating to public finance and governance.
