Ruto hosts church leaders at State House amid rift

President William Ruto with the Evangelical and Pentecostal church leaders on Wednesday at State House, Nairobi. [Ruto, X]

President William Ruto has today met with Evangelical and Pentecostal church leaders at State House, Nairobi.

In a communique, the president noted the importance of collaboration between the State and religious institutions despite recent tensions.

Ruto described religious organisations as vital partners in promoting national cohesion.

"Religious faiths and the State serve the same people and have always worked together to ensure national unity and provide social services, including education, health, and supporting the vulnerable. We are committed to maintaining this partnership," he wrote on X.

The meeting was attended by several religious leaders, led by Redeemed Gospel Church Presiding Bishop Kepha Omae.

The engagement comes less than a month after 26 bishops from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) criticised Ruto's administration for failing to deliver on campaign promises two years after taking office.

The bishops raised concerns about corruption, human rights violations, tax policies, and what they termed a "culture of lies" within the ruling elite.

The rift between the State and the clergy also deepened earlier this month during a debate on whether churches should accept donations from politicians.

The Catholic Church sparked the discussion after it returned Sh5.6 million donated by Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja in November to the Soweto Catholic Church.