Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto was on Sunday, September 19, allowed to speak in a church that had banned politicians from advancing their political agenda on the pulpits.
The deputy president attended the service at the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) church in Kiambu where he donated KSh2 million for the church project.
The DP further invited the clerics to his Karen residence to discuss another project valued at KSh5 million.
Apparently aware of the call to keep politicians away from the pulpit, the former Agriculture Minister was quoted saying blessed is the hand that gives not the receiver.
The deputy president further said he went as a Christian to support church projects not as a politician to advance his political agenda.
On Sunday, September 12, the Anglican Churches of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit poked holes at politicians’ attendance, address, and church fundraising events, saying it is a major tactic used by politicians to try and sway the church into supporting them.
“Nimepiga marufuku wanasiasa kuongea ndani ya kanisa ya Anglican. (I have banned politicians from speaking within the Anglican Church,” said Ole Sapit.
Sapit who was speaking during the consecration of the first female bishop of the Anglican Church in the country said the seeming takeover of churches by the politicians has put the clergy under pressure with claims that they have surrendered their authority to politicians in favour of handouts.
The declaration by Sapit came barely days after the Catholic Archbishop of Nyeri Anthony Muheri had also banned politics from the pulpit, saying there is no turning back on the move to keep the politicians at bay.
Later, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) reiterated this position.
A similar stand was declared by other major umbrella bodies – including the National Council of Churches (NCCK) and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK).
A few days ago, the AIPCA announced they had placed a ban on politicians speaking from the pulpit.
