Isaac Okeyo, DevReporter, National
Churches all over the world command a huge following and they are inseparable from politics.
According to an African Studies Center report, 70 percent of Kenyans are Christians while 25 percent belong to other religions. Because of the huge following that the church commands, it attracts many politicians vying for political positions. Politicians thronging various churches across the country is in full swing especially during political campaign periods.
However, the church is expected to be neutral in politics and act as a place for dialogue among politicians and between them and their supporters, as well as for the maintenance of peace and unity. The church is also expected to condemn corruption and social injustices in the society and serve as a good example to the people.
Archbishop David Gitari Preached Against Political Vices
When Archbishop David Gitari was the Bishop of Kirinyaga diocese in the 1980s, County Councilors in the area grabbed public land which was a protected hill with a forest. The Councilors are said to have sold the land illegally to a government minister who hailed from the region.
However, when Archbishop Gitari heard about it, he called Christians to the bottom of the hill and preached against the actions of the councilors in an effort to save the hill.
“So as a result of that, that hill was not taken. And because the sermon was heard all over the nation, it became the key massage in the struggle against land grabbers in Kenya,” Bishop Gitari said during an exclusive interview with Robert M. Press.
Has That Been the Case with The Church Today?
Has the church been brave enough to condemn vices and inflammatory utterances in the political space today? To some Kenyans, that has not been the case.
Alice Wacharo, a Christian, argues that current churches have taken sides in politics, thus making it hard for them to play their roles effectively.
“The church is supposed to serve as a good example when it comes to politics. They are supposed to condemn all vices in politics, but today you find that the church is at the forefront in giving their pulpits to politicians who then engage in politics of propaganda and ethnicity,” Wacharo said during an interview with Radio Baraza.
What Does the Church Say?
Interestingly, Reverend Jacob Musili of the Anglican Church of Kenya also noted that the church has actually missed the mark when it comes to streamlining the political space in the country.
“I think as a church sometimes we have missed the mark when it comes to politics. Why? Because the way we carry politics in church is like we do not care. That is what has been happening in church. For example, in the Anglican church in the past, Bishops required politicians to send their speech earlier for them to go through it to find out if there are issues that would cause animosity. That does not happen now. That is why I am saying we have missed the mark as a church. If we as the church can be straight with our points, we can have peaceful elections,” added Musili.
It is not the first time the church has been faulted for being compromised. In February 2022, President Uhuru Kenyatta condemned church leaders he claimed were compromised by huge donations from corrupt politicians.
“Some church leaders have been compromised by huge donations donated by corrupt leaders, I want to say that you should know that it is wrong to lie through the bible and you are heading to Jahannam,” President Kenyatta said when he was meeting leaders from the Mt. Kenya region at Sagana State lodge in Nyeri County.
However, through the Church and Clergy Association of Kenya (CCAK), the church leaders distanced themselves from the President’s claims and asked him to respect the church.
“The church has no capacity to ascertain or authenticate the sources of funds flowing to it. Respect the church and give it room to grow and regulate itself,” the leaders said.
Though the church has been faulted for being compromised and sleeping on its roles in the political space, don’t you think that the people should also be blamed for bad things happening in political spaces? Don’t you think citizens also have a role to play to stop injustices and instability in the country?
