Kapseret Member of Parliament (MP) Oscar Sudi has bashed Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Anthony Muheria following the cleric’s recent remarks on the government’s approach to governance and development.

The lawmaker took to his X account on Saturday, February 22, 2025, to express his displeasure, accusing the Archbishop of tribal bias and unfair criticism of President William Ruto’s administration.

Sudi urged Muheria to stop politicking and focus on his religious duties. He also argued that the cleric was silent during previous regimes but is now vocal against the current government.

According to Sudi, religious leaders should prioritize their spiritual roles instead of meddling in political affairs. He claimed that Muheria’s statements were not genuine critiques but rather divisive attacks.

“Bwana Asifiwe Askofu Muheria. One of the roles of the government is to communicate its plans to the public in line with its manifesto.

“Announcements are everywhere, including in the Catholic Church. I am requesting you stop politicking. You have a lot of work taking us to heaven. You should mold us all, but tribalism is what drives you. You never talked during Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta’s regimes. Stop these daily accusations; you have a lot of divine work to do. Your recent remarks appear to be driven less by constructive critique and more by divisive undertones of tribalism and personal spite,” Sudi scoffed.

Church vs state

The controversy arose after Archbishop Muheria, on Friday, February 21, 2025, accused the government of focusing too much on publicity rather than delivering on its promises. He likened the administration to an advertisement agency that repeatedly promotes its plans instead of implementing them. The archbishop called on the government to shift its focus from rhetoric to action so that Kenyans can see tangible results.

“There needs to be less rhetoric. Stop advertising what you plan to do—act! The government is not an advertising agency; it is an agency that implements actions, and that’s what we want to see,” he said.

Muheria further urged the government to uphold governance systems and avoid unnecessary public altercations. He emphasized the need for leaders to respect each other and work towards national unity rather than engaging in political confrontations.

“We want a government that follows rules and systems, not one that devotes all its machinery to publicity. I wish we could put an end to the insults, noise, and demeaning statements and instead begin to appreciate one another.”

Additionally, the archbishop raised concerns over the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme, citing its failure to function effectively. He pointed out that hospitals, including Consolata Mathari Hospital, were suffering due to unpaid government debts.

He revealed that the government owed the hospital over Ksh250 million, a debt that had remained unpaid for the last four years. He appealed for urgent intervention to address the crisis in the healthcare sector.

“Despite efforts to improve healthcare services, we are still constrained by the payment delays from the defunct NHIF and the SHA. Unfortunately, these systems are not yet operational. As a result, the government owes us (Consolata Mathari Hospital) over Ksh250 million. This debt has remained unpaid for the last four years. We plead and cry for help, but we continue to receive non-committal responses,” Muheria said.

Ruto’s allies

The war of words between the church and government has brought tension as Ruto’s allies have come out in fierce defence.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula dismissed Muheria’s remarks, arguing that he had not taken the time to read and understand the Constitution.

Speaking on Friday, February 21, 2025, during the burial of Mzee Kingi Mwaruwa, the father of Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, in Kilifi, Wetang’ula emphasized that the government has a responsibility to inform citizens about its projects. He stated that doing so ensures transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

“Ukisema government is not an advertising agency, it means you have not read the constitution of Kenya, kwa sababu the constitution we refer to says the centrality are the people of Kenya, so they must know and participate in everything we do. So as a government, we must continue broadcasting whatever we do for all Kenyans to know, from Vanga to Lokichogio, from Malava to Lamu,” he said.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who was also present at the funeral, defended the government, emphasizing the importance of keeping the public informed about development projects.

“The government’s role includes public participation. Some may not want us to engage, but that is not an option. According to the Constitution, we are required to involve the public and inform them about what is being done,” Mudavadi explained.

Adding;

“Therefore, calling the government an advertising agency is misleading Kenyans. The government must communicate with its citizens.”