Catholic bishops, led by Archbisop Martin Kivuva (seated, centre) address journalists in Nairobi on July 18 over the ongoing protests in the country.
| Kennedy Amungo | Nation Media GroupNews
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Return of the Church: Religious leaders reclaim their space in nation’s politics
Religious leaders are in a quest to reclaim their space after stinging criticism for failing to condemn the State’s excesses over the last two decades.
Previously, the country had been treated to fiery and fearless clerics who inspired public confidence while speaking out against the government of the day.
Some of the men of the cloth even had to pay the price with their own lives for their outspoken criticism, which knew no political or tribal inclinations, of the government of the day.
The late Bishop Alexander Muge, John Henry Okullu, Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a Nzeki, Bishop David Gitari, and Reverend Timothy Njoya, just to name but a few, stood out as men of God with a heart for justice.
They pushed for a return to multiparty democracy in the 1990s and were vocal against atrocities and other human right abuses committed by the ruling regimes.
Much is often expected of religious leaders in a country which is predominantly Christian, where 85.5 percent of Kenya’s 50 million people, according to the 2019 census report, profess the Christian faith.
Even though the majority of them are evangelicals followed by Catholics, the vocal clerics have largely been drawn from the Anglican and Catholic churches.
Over the years, however, public confidence in the church has taken a beating over the loud silence and controversial positions taken by some in the clergy, mostly turning a blind eye to the ills perpetrated by successive regimes, especially after the turn of the millennium.
The current crop of church leaders has been accused of being a pale shadow of the pioneer church leadership, with some openly taking political sides and even turning their churches into political pulpits.
Half-hearted criticism of the post-election violence between 2007 and 2008, opposing the new Constitution, introduced after a referendum in 2010, and taking a backseat after the Supreme Court nullified the August 2017 presidential election results, significantly dented the standing of the Church among the populace.
During an interview with an international media company in 2021, Nyeri Archdiocese Archbishop Anthony Muheria admitted to the Church being captured by politicians, putting the blame squarely at the doorsteps of the clergy.
The archbishop is among the few current religious leaders who are trying to fit in the shoes of the pioneers by taking the government of the day head on and sparing no punches in speaking out against the excesses.
Former All Saints Cathedral Provost Reverend Sammy Wainaina, his successor Reverend Canon Evans Omollo, and Mombasa Archbishop Martin Kivuva also stand out.
Archbishop Muheria has been vocal about issues affecting Kenyans and recently made headlines when he took on President William Ruto, reproaching him for being “arrogant, rough, insulting and imposing”.
“Deep down there are underlying problems that need to be addressed, and I think they are not being addressed, the plight of the poor, the cost of living and the waste in government,” said the archbishop while speaking during an interview with Citizen TV.
He called on the President to adopt a calm leadership demeanour instead of using threats to communicate.
“Violence, hatred and threats will not help in solving problems. Instead, political leaders should hold conversations on how to come up with permanent solutions,” he said.
He also took issue with the new raft of taxes contained in the Finance Act, 2023, saying that inasmuch as taxes are good for the country as a whole, the effect they have on the poor should be discussed.
Archbishop Muheria called for the repealing of the Act, saying the new taxes place an unsustainable burden on already distressed citizens, especially those in the low income bracket.
He said the high cost of living has created a burden on individuals and families, making it difficult for them to meet their basic needs and maintain a decent standard of living.
“We, therefore, ask the President to repeal the Finance Act and institute a process that will seek to achieve the same goals within the current economic context,” he said.
The archbishop has also spoken strongly against police brutality inflicted upon innocent Kenyans during anti-government protests, condemning the police for taking advantage of the demos to brutalise innocent Kenyans.
He said police brutality undermines the fundamental principles of human rights, justice and the rule of law.
“We remind the police of their professional conduct in dealing with demonstrations. We want to emphasise on this issue and express a firm stance against such acts of violence and abuse of power,” said the clergyman.
Last year, he blasted Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria for joking about the introduction of GMO food in the country, after the CS said there is nothing wrong in adding GMOs to the list of things that compete in killing Kenyans.
“It was disgraceful and disrespectful to Kenyans to joke about life and death,” he said, calling for CS Kuria to apologise to Kenyans.
“Don’t take Kenyans for granted; let’s respect the people we lead and accord them their dignity,” he added.
Rev Wainaina has, however, been unparalleled in his stinging attacks on the government, hitting the headlines frequently for speaking out against ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Ruto’s regimes.
He faulted the current regime for what he described as politicising religion, telling the President that Kenyans need services from the government and not prayers.
Rev Wainaina said the Kenya Kwanza administration should not try to make the government religious so as to avoid being questioned or held accountable.
“What we need from the government are not prayers; prayers we will make and we do make. What we need from the government are services,” Mr Wainaina said, adding: “We are away from politics now. You promised to deliver, simply deliver. That’s all!”
The reverend also criticised Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his comments that the government is a company where ‘majority shareholders’ get benefits.
“When you hear a very senior government official saying that there are shares and you can be moved back in the line because you do not have shares, you actually know that you are in real problems,” he said.
In 2020, he called the bluff on the Building Bridges Initiative, saying it “has become a political tool rather than an opportunity for dialogue.”
He raised concerns that there had been no civic education on the BBI, saying politicians with vested interests had hijacked the initiative.
Not afraid to speak his mind, he urged President Kenyatta to end the bad blood between him and his deputy Ruto, saying the split was a matter of "general concern for the Church".
The reverend was in March this year appointed Archbishop of Canterbury’s Anglican Communion Advisor.
In his farewell speech, he said the church – which he served for the past 25 years, becoming Provost in 2013 – gave him a place to influence the politics of the country.
In May, he said that should Kenya fail as a country, the Church will take half the blame for its contribution to the sorry state of affairs.
Rev Wainaina said the Church had allowed politicians to tell lies and hurl insults at one another on the pulpit.
So fierce is his criticism of the government and politicians that some members of the church disowned some of his comments.
His successor Canon Omollo also seems to be following the same path and has been vocal on issues currently bedevilling the country.
He called on Azimio leader Raila Odinga to end the anti-government protests while also faulting the government for police brutality against protesters.
Archbishop Kivuva, the chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, has also been walking the same path as his religious counterparts.
In 2016, he called on political leaders to join hands to “salvage the country” from runaway corruption, warning that the corruption scandals could sink the nation.
Archbishop Kivuva was also at the forefront of banning politicking in the pulpit, by outlawing politicians from speaking during mass.
He has continued to maintain a keen eye on happenings in the country and, last year, he urged Kenyans to accept the Supreme Court ruling upholding the election of President Ruto.
The archbishop was, however, quick to challenge the new government to focus on tackling the drought as well as the country’s confusion over the Competence Based Curriculum.
In April this year, he accused politicians from across the divide of failing to listen to the cry of Kenyans and further escalating violence in the anti-government protests.
“Both government and opposition have refused to face the reality, giving lame excuses for their grave wrong actions,” he thundered.
Last week, he led other bishops in calling for President Ruto and Mr Odinga to stand down from their hardline stances and return to dialogue.
