Ruto returns to the pulpit as 2027 top race gathers pace

Large crowds of religious delegations have made their way back to President William Ruto’s State House meetings, but this time round some mainstream churches have also not been left behind.

The President appears to be not only hunting for votes in churches, but he is also keen on using the clergy to mobilise support for him. He is expected to meet another delegation of clergy today.

Before and after the 2022 presidential elections, Ruto used the pulpit to endear himself to the clergy and the faithful, where he made huge donations to churches to entice them.

Armed with a Bible and church hymns, Ruto used to arrive early in church, as he prayed and knelt before the church and then promised the evangelical churches every support upon assuming office.

“These people have promised and affirmed they willingly work with you and defend this country,” Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said to Ruto when he took 5,000 Quakers to State House on Monday.

Since last year, Ruto has slowly reverted to using the church in advancing his re-election campaign. In March last year he pledged a Sh20 million donation and promised to help raise another Sh100 million for the construction of Rev Edward Mwai’s Jesus Winner Ministry Church in Roysambu Nairobi.

Political strategists and a section of church leaders have castigated him for allegedly duping the church in 2022. Bishop Jotham Mwangi of Outreach Gospel Church of Kiambu said the President’s approach won’t assist him this time round. “He promised the Church and faithful better life but when he took over he abandoned the plan. This time round huge donations and kneeling at the pulpit might work against Ruto,” Bishop Mwangi said.

Dr Peter Mbae, the National Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) said the Church overwhelmingly voted Ruto as he presented himself as a God-fearing Christian. “Under his regime, hundreds of youth have been killed, abductions and extrajudicial killings have been the order of the day. I wonder what he will be telling the Church as he revives the pulpit strategy ahead of the next elections.”

In a document dated May 2022, dubbed a Memorandum of Understanding between Pentecostal and Evangelical Clergy of Kenya (Peck) and Ruto promised, a Cabinet portfolio responsible for the Ministry of National Guidance and Christian Affairs and which would be headed by a clergy once he had ascended to power.

Ruto was supposed to guarantee the independence of the Church by facilitating the lifting of the Moratorium on registration of religious organisations as well as facilitating the amendment of the relevant law for the establishment of an independent “Registrar of Christian Organisations”.

“Upon winning the election as the President of the Republic of Kenya agrees to support self-regulation of churches, facilitate the formation of a Christian commission for mediation and arbitration recognised under the judicial system as an Internal Dispute Resolution Mechanism for the Society and member Churches,” it reads.

At the same time, Ruto was supposed to promote the nomination of the clergy to the National Assembly, Senate and County Assemblies, appointments to Cabinet, State corporations, foreign missions, commissions and Boards and committees of National and County Governments.

The church was to enjoy tax waivers and exemptions, especially on fees charged as marriage fees, noise levies, church meeting on public grounds and distribution of church materials for information sharing as well as facilitating the provision of exemptions and tax waivers of import of items and services by registered churches and church-sponsored projects.

There would be an active Christian Clergy Sacco for empowerment of Gospel Ministers which was to be formed through seed capital by the government as a stimulus package provided by Ruto’s government.

Some of the leaders listed as representatives of the association included former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s spouse Dorcas Rigathi, Bishop Dr Daniel Kabono the chairman of the National Secretariat Bishop Geoffrey Gichuki, Secretary General of the association while Bishop Pius Muiru and Bishop Joseph Kilioba were listed as witnesses.

The President, however, changed tact upon election to office by including the ODM in his administration through the Broad-Based arrangement. However, a year to the general election, the President seems to have gone back to the church approach after hosting over 5000 Christians of Friends Church Kenya (Quakers).

Akin to the huge donations he gave out in the run-up to the 2022 general election, Ruto presented a Sh50 million cheque to the Christians who visited him in State House on Monday. The Friends Church is also Mudavadi’s church and is one of the influential ones in the Western region.

 It has a strong presence across Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, Trans Nzoia and neighbouring counties, while also having a sizeable following among people from the region living in other parts of Kenya.

The church sponsors educational institutions across Western, with many bearing the “Friends” name.