A group of attackers stormed the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi on Friday, targeting a post-budget review meeting that was under way at the venue. The assault on a place of worship has drawn strong condemnation from religious and civil society leaders.
The chaos began at the entrance of the cathedral, where the attackers engaged in a confrontation with security guards. They then moved past the church building to the conference section, where the post-budget meeting was taking place.
Within a short time, the assailants had accessed the second floor of the building, where they unleashed terror on the civil society groups attending the event. They destroyed materials at the conference and attacked those present before order could be restored.
Police later intervened to disperse the attackers and arrested one individual, who is currently being held in custody. Officers moved in after the group had already caused damage and assaulted participants.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya condemned the attack on the cathedral, describing it as an assault on a sacred place of worship. The council called on the Inspector General of Police to publicly identify those behind the attack and to ensure they are arrested and prosecuted, while a government official was named as the alleged sponsor of the group.
The Defenders Coalition expressed concern over what it described as persistent and coordinated attacks against civil society organizations, human rights defenders and staff of human rights institutions across the country. It said the attacks were highly coordinated ploys to harass, intimidate and subdue the voice of civil society as it carries out its lawful work, insisting that Article 35 of the constitution must be respected.