A Catholic cleric has asked leaders to shun politics in church and at funerals, saying this will help prevent violent confrontations with young people who have rejected the current crop of politicians.

The current political atmosphere is hostile to how churches used by politicians to farther their personal interests, said Machakos Catholic Bishop Norman King’oo.

Heed warning

While the church could not bar politicians from attending church services, he said, there was a need to heed the warnings of young people who had vowed to stop politicians from speaking at church gatherings.

“The way things are, the atmosphere is not good and I don’t want the Church to be lumped together with politicians. When politicians come to church, let them attend Mass and funerald without politicking,” said Bishop King’oo.

Leaders and economy

The cleric, who spoke yesterday at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Tala, Matungulu constituency, said leaders had ruined the economy.

He said many homegrown companies that used to offer jobs to the people had collapsed as leaders encouraged imports of commodities such as secondhand clothes, popularly known as mitumba. 

Mutual disrespect

The coffee sector, King’oo added, was also not doing a well. He said current leaders had no respect for young people and that is why Gen Z were disrespecting them in return.

Meanwhile, King’oo called on young people to be tolerant and not to cause anarchy as everyone will suffer if lawlessness reigns.

“Yes, they have expressed their point. Many people were angry about the [finance] bill, but we must now focus on rebuilding the economy and ending poverty, because a poor person is a dangerous person,” King’oo said.