Politics back in church as Ruto, Gachagua allies storm the pulpit

President William Ruto, addresses faithful during service at ACK Bungoma Diocese. on September 1, 2024. [File, Standard] About two months ago, the Gen Z took a bold move to 'de-platform' politicians from churches' pulpit, as part of their protest against poor governance. This saw politicians who majorly occupy front seats during Sunday services and address the congregants, missing for a number of weeks. However, over the last few Sundays, the politicians are back on the very pulpit, making utterances that could be translated to settling political scores. The church leaders also gave their opinion on the matter, and majority agreed that politicians were welcome to places of worship as part of the congregation but keep off politics on the the pulpit. It was not the first time the church has asked politicians to run their politics elsewhere. At the height of the Genz demonstrations, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) for instance, said they had issued clear guidelines to priests and pastoral agents not to use liturgical spaces for political agitation. "All are welcome and should feel at home in our churches but respect places of worship. Remember places of worship are not our own. We cannot pretend to take them as if they were ours. They are God's space and therefore we cannot use them for any other agenda but that which relates to God. Churches accommodate people irrespective of their opinions or political standing," the Catholic bishops stated in June. Similarly, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) issued guidelines saying politicians are welcome to attend churches for worship like other members who are non-politicians but the sanctity of the altar should be maintained by only allowing worship practices. "The clergy should provide guidance to politicians in church-led functions to prevent politicking. Politicians should be encouraged to address people or media outside the worship sanctuary," NCCK guidelines issued in June stated. The NCCK also stated that any monetary contributions by politicians should be treated same as offerings by all other members, and should not have any funfair or be announced. NCCK also required religious leaders to desist from endorsing or opposing politicians or political parties to maintain an objective voice of the church. The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya also stressed need for sanctity of the pulpit when political leaders attend church. But going by the last few weeks, it is the same old script amid divided political support for the President and his deputy by a section of MPs. A host of MPs allied to President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have been giving their opinion in church, even as the top two kept off politics. For instance, in a Nairobi church recently, those allied to DP recently lashed out at MPs from Mt Kenya, who they accused of disrespecting Gachagua. They particularly took issue with Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung'wah, over his utterances they termed disrespectful of the office, even in the presence of the President. "We urge you Ichung'wah to stop disrespecting the Deputy President. Please let the Deputy President be," the leaders said, while in a church service. Also on Sunday, as the leaders accompanied the DP was in church in Kirinyaga, with those who spoke taking on the 48 MPs who had declared Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as the link to the Executive. On the same day, several leaders including Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, MPs Ichung'wah (Kikuyu) and John Kiarie (Dagoretti South) among others, spoke in church. They urged the President to ignore his political nemesis and focus on his ambitions for the country, undeterred and 'shake off the snake in government'. "Those of us close to the President have seen that he has gone through a lot. He got an economy that was a wreck and just when he is about to settle down and start warming Kenyans, a snake comes and holds his hands and takes him back. You have been called so many names to get to the shore safely," Ichung'wah said. He regretted that the President has not only been derailed by Kenyans but also people in his team. "I want to tell the President to take heart despite names and abuses just get this country to the shore safely. We will deliver this country and it will be safe. Do not be afraid shake off the snake, that viper on your hand the snake in your government... shake it off not for your own sake but do what you are purposed to do," said Ichung'wah. At the same pulpit, Sakaja took on Gachagua and insisted the county has a systematic way of executing its mandate and will not be distracted. "When I say we should have order because we have a big market along Kangundo road, some leaders are derailing me. I want to assure you that I am the Nairobi Governor and we will bring back order in the city. No one will pull us back, no one is going to derail us, we will keep consulting and serving our people. I will work for the people and we are making a lot of progress and strides," he said. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula also spoke about constitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission during Sunday mass. The constant, has however been Ruto and Gachagua urging leaders to desist from early campaigns and focus on development.

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