‘You can review’ – DP Gachagua pleads with bishop on barring politicians from speaking in church

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for the review of the policy that barred political leaders from addressing the congregants and advancing their agenda on the pulpit.

Speaking after a church consecration service at the ACK St. Joseph of Arimathea Parish, Nairobi Diocese, in Roysambu Constituency on Sunday, August 25, 2024, Gachagua pleaded with the area presiding archbishop to review the policy.

In the presence of Jackson Ole Sapit, Bishop of All Saints Cathedral and Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Gachagua argued that the church leaders could vet and review the policy towards the end of the year.

However, Gachagua told leaders who accompanied him to the church service, including Kamande Mwafrika (Roysambu), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), Benjamin Gathiru MejjaDonk (Embakasi Central), Jayne Kihara (Naivasha), and Beatrice Elachi (Dagoretti North), to get used to the policy as they are the ones who invited the embargo.

While agreeing that the move to bar them from the pulpit was warranted, the country’s second in command maintained that most of the leaders had learned from their mistakes and were ready to respect the church.

“Sasa hawa wajumbe nitawasimamisha lakini sis wenyewe ndio tuliharibu. Tulienda kuleta maneno mingi kanisani tukaambiwa sikuizi hakuna. Sasa tutakaa namna hio, tuzoee. (Now, I will only mention their names as they stand because we messed up ourselves. We brought so many things into the church until we were barred from speaking at the pulpit. For now, get used to it).

“Lakini archbishop utuangalia towards the end of the year, you can review. So if those of us who are given a chance to speak on their behalf behave, muwapatie nafasi. (But, the archbishop considers us and reviews the policy towards the end of the year. So if those of us who are given a chance to speak on their behalf behave, then you can give them a chance),” Gachagua stated.

“Lakini wenyewe ndio tuliharibu na tumekubali makosa yetu. Tulileta mambo mingi kanisani ambayo haifai. (But we are the ones who messed it up and we have accepted our mistake. We brought many undesirable things to church, which is totally wrong),” he added.

Psalms 27:4
I have asked the Lord for one thing; one only do I want: to live in the Lords House all my life, to marvel there at His Goodness, and to ask for His Guidance. pic.twitter.com/xkgTkay6Jy

— H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH (@rigathi) August 25, 2024

The ban

Most churches imposed the embargo following the nationwide protests, whose proponents were primarily the youthful population.

The protesters pointed an accusing finger at the men of the cloth for giving political leaders a platform to spew hate and division on religious platforms.

An online campaign dubbed de-platform politicians from the church was even launched, with some members forcing various church leaders to cancel key events that were to be attended by the lawmakers.

First Lady Rachel Ruto was one of the victims of the campaigns, as her church event, which was set to be held in Karen, was cancelled at the last minute. Other leaders also suffered the same fate.

With pressure mounting, the demonstrators also demanded the ban on church harambees. This forced President William Ruto to introduce a bill that sought to regulate harambees in the country.

However, the bill is yet to be finalised.