In a political journey unlike any other, then Deputy President William Ruto masterfully turned Kenya’s pulpits into powerful podiums, weaving his way into the hearts of the faithful.
With the blessing of religious leaders across the nation, he embarked on a mission that saw him move from church to church, transforming sermons into rallying cries.
As prayers blended with politics, Ruto became the darling of the church, earning the unwavering support of the clergy who championed his cause.
His ability to connect with congregations not only galvanized his base but also redefined the role of faith in Kenya’s political landscape.
Notably, many of them stepped out of the pulpit to convince their followers to vote for the Kenya Kwanza government, which was facing off with Raila Odinga’s Azimio coalition.
Apparently, some religious leaders had been promised state appointments, including ambassadorial positions outside Kenya once the Ruto administration settled in.
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In fact, on the first Sunday after President Ruto occupied State House, some bishops, prophets, and prophetesses were invited for prayers at the House on the Hill, told to feel at home, and even encouraged to make more visits.
An American preacher and his team were allegedly flown into the country and hosted at State House on taxpayers' funds. Rumour also had it that a group of intercessors had been engaged fully to pray for the nation at the seat of power.
The President categorically stated that he had “been prayed into office,” signifying the attachment he had with prayer warriors.
A bar at State House was reportedly closed for being ungodly.
But just months after the hotly contested elections, some religious leaders who were reportedly promised appointments and prestigious jobs began to complain that their calls to State House were being ignored.
What has now broken the camel’s back seems to be the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Some preachers who were considered Kenya Kwanza diehards have now cut links with State House in a dramatic fallout.
On October 20, 2024, for instance, Reverend Teresia Wairimu, the Founder and Director of Faith Evangelistic Ministries, confessed that religious leaders had misled Kenyans and that the current administration was not God-given.
Embarrassment
“All the while, I have always thought that this is a government of God because we voted for it. To our embarrassment, this is a government of fights,” Wairimu stated amid cheers from her followers.
She regretted that politicians led by President Ruto have shifted focus from crucial issues that affect ordinary people, among them the state of the economy and health issues.
“As a voter, I am embarrassed. In the next elections, you must convince me. We are sick and tired of noise; we want development, we want performance. Don’t arm yourself as if you are going to war; arm yourself as if you want to serve the nation and the people who voted for you,” Wairimu said.
She suggested that in the next elections, the majority of the elected leaders from the two houses of Parliament should be sent home since they have proven to be non-performers.
In an unexpected twist, a section of religious leaders from Kiambu County has claimed that the government has started censoring their sermons.
The preachers, who spoke in Juja under the Covenant Clergy Alliance, claimed they are being pressured to disclose who attends their services and what is discussed.
“As shepherds, we welcome anyone seeking spiritual nourishment. We do not discriminate against who visits our churches,” the mainly evangelical preachers said in a joint statement.
Interrogation
They cited a recent incident where a lead preacher of a church in Kiganjo was allegedly interrogated shortly after Jubilee leaders, including Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, visited.
Bishop Joseph Ndua of the Akorino sect shared similar concerns, revealing that new members in their congregation often refuse to introduce themselves out of fear.
He added that after services, some members are questioned about the presence of certain individuals in their churches.
The clergy urged the Kenya Kwanza government to honour its commitment to religious freedom and allow churches to welcome anyone in need of spiritual guidance.
While recently opposing Gachagua’s impeachment, the Anglican Church, led by Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, said the church has also noted the negative ethnicity, nepotism, and discrimination in government appointments in both national and county governments, which are threatening efforts toward national cohesion.
“We urge the government to prioritize professionalism over nepotism in all areas of public service and governance. By emphasizing merit-based appointments, we can ensure that capable and qualified individuals are placed in positions of responsibility, ultimately leading to improved efficiency and accountability,” he said.
Judgment
Recently, Apostle John Kimani Williams, the founder and senior pastor of Kingdom Seekers Fellowship in Nakuru, made an observation regarding recent developments.
“Judgment will be set upon them with the same measure they used,” he noted.
Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) chairman Nelson Makanda said the church cannot make a mistake since it did not have a candidate in the last elections.
Makanda admitted that while church platforms might have been used, that does not mean there was a candidate for the church. He noted that the fallout between Rigathi Gachagua and President Ruto had nothing to do with the church.
Democratic Rights
“If a Christian husband and wife divorce, and they go to court or separate, and their marriages are annulled. That does not stop them from being Christians. So for them (Ruto and Gachagua) not being able to work together does not stop them from being Christians or members of their churches. It is just that they have differences they feel they cannot reconcile,” Makanda said.
The preacher observed that the impeachment case was more about an individual failing in their constitutional duty and the issue should not be made to look like a church matter.
In relation to remarks by some religious leaders who are now distancing themselves from the Ruto administration, which they supported before, Makanda described them as traitors who do not represent the church.
He added that most of those criticizing Ruto now don’t represent the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, or the KCCB.
“I see her (Wairimu’s) sentiments more personally projected on a church platform. Just like a politician who comes on a church platform and proclaims something like that,” Makanda said.
“Christian leaders and clergy have their democratic rights to express their support to whoever they wish and whichever political party they like. It is a democratic right that cannot be taken away because they are members of the clergy,” he added.
Bishop Hudson Ndeda, the Chairman of the Church and Clergy Association of Kenya (CCAK), argues that when religious leaders use the pulpit to make certain statements, they have a reason.
Ndeda noted that there could be some frustrations from people who supported the government from the church side, but that doesn’t mean there is a fallout between the church and State House.
“The impeachment issue has so many faces. So many faces and some of us don’t know exactly what is happening. We know the President and the Deputy are Christians, but whatever has happened between them is not clear. It is not open to the public,” Ndeda noted.
Meanwhile, Bishop Samuel Njiriri of Stewards Revival Ministry, the chairman of the Federation of Evangelical and Indigenous Christian Churches of Kenya, dismissed the alleged fallout between religious leaders and State House.