KENYA: Calm down! There is no competition between church and state - Ruto

By Fridah Naliaka Published on: December 01, 2024 03:01 (EAT)

President William Ruto speaking during an Interdenominational church service in Kipsitet Primary School, Kericho County.

President William Ruto has called for unity in Kenya, seeking to calm the storm between the church and state.

Speaking in a church service on Sunday, Ruto called on church leaders and other state officials to shun division.

“There is no need to exchange words…all these things. Calm down, there is no competition between the church and others or the church and state. We are one country,” he said.

“This country cannot prosper on division, we have to be united. The church and the state must work together,” Ruto added.

The statements comes amid a simmering clash between the church and state officials.

The clash began after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) called out Ruto’s administrations for failed promises, high taxation and failure to listen to citizens.

In a hard-hitting statement on November 14, the Bishops told Ruto’s government to stop its ‘culture of lies’.

The bishops accused the political class of turning a deaf ear to key concerns raised by Kenyans, including over taxation, unemployment, disturbing gaps in the implementation of the CBC education system, and the transition from NHIF to the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Ruto would later attend a Sunday mass in Soweto where he gave a Ksh. 600,000 donation and pledged another Ksh.2 million for the completion of the parish priest’s residence.

Days later, the Archbishop of the Nairobi Archdiocese Philip Anyolo announced that the church would return the funds as its origin is unknown.

Archbishop Anyolo emphasised the importance of preserving the Church's independence and sanctity, as well as the ethical concerns surrounding political contributions.

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KENYA: Ako wapi sasa? Raila mocks Gachagua over "setting traps at State House"

By Moses Kinyanjui

 Published on: December 01, 2024 03:25 (EAT)

Raila Odinga

Opposition leader Raila Odinga trained his guns at Rigathi Gachagua over his recent impeachment following a long-running political tiff the duo had.

At a political gathering in Vihiga on Sunday, Raila mocked Gachagua over sentiments he once made that he set traps at State House to give the opposition boss unfettered access to President William Ruto.

“Nimepanga hiyo Ikulu, nimeieweka mitego kila corner, kila corner…na niko na watu wakionekana tu karibu napigiwa simu kwa sababu huwezi kubali mtu ameharibu serikali nne aingie ya tano,” said Gachagua in a past address.

In his sneering rebuttal, Odinga said that Gachagua's traps have instead snapped him out of the House on the Hill, adding that he failed to play his political cards wisely.

"Nimeona juzi mtu mwengine anabweka kule ati tumeweka mitego kila mahali, huwezi kupenya. Mtego ya aina gani? Ati aliwekea baba mtego, eti hakuna mambo ya handshake, ya nusu mkate. Akowapi sasa Gachagua? Mjinga sana," said Odinga.

Gachagua's sentiments attracted ridicule from his political friends and foes, including President Ruto, forcing him to renege on the antagonism between him and Odinga.

Speaking to Kikuyu stations from his Karen home he said he removed the traps after noticing that his boss appeared to be reuniting with Odinga, a former political foe. 

"My boss and I had agreed we set up traps so that Raila does not join the government through the backdoor, I would check the traps every morning and evening," Gachagua said. 

"I would constantly check the traps to see whether they had captured anything."

Gachagua claimed that as soon as he saw Ruto appear to be enjoying a new-found union with Odinga, he slowed down and decided to observe from a distance. 

“My traps were working very well because even that time they decided to meet, they did so in Uganda as they watched Museveni's big horned cattle," he added.

Gachagua was impeached in October and Kithure Kindiki was appointed as his replacement.

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