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President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday rallied Akorino faithful to back the Azimio-One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga as his preferred successor.

Addressing a general conference of Akorino churches Assembly, National Prayer Service and centenary celebrations at Kasarani Gymnasium, Uhuru thanked the Akorino church for standing with him during his entire political journey and especially his two-term tenure as president.

The Akorino church is celebrating 100 years of existence.

“Thank you (church) for your prayers and even the support you have accorded my government, even as my term comes to end. We will still continue supporting each other so as to ensure growth in the church,” he said.

“Just like you have stood with me, I will reciprocate the same support,” he added.

Though the President did not pitch for the Raila and his running mate directly, he invited them  to address the gathering. 

Church history

 “I ask you to elect leaders who will continue with the work I have done and not take away what I have given you,” said Uhuru, who is the chairman of the Azimio la Umoja Council.

“May God give us peace in this country and during these elections. And May God give us leaders who will continue to unite and support us, and who will lead in peaceful ways and mutual co-existence,” said the President.

Raila retraced the history of the church, saying it was among forces  that fought for independence. 

“We are together with the Akurinu. We thank President Kenyatta for standing with you. You are important members of the community.  I am here with (running mate) Martha Karua Karua. They said I will not climb the the mountain but I am here with a tractor and Ms Karua. It will be possible,” said the Azimio presidential nominee. 

Raila pledged to foster good relations between the church and his government if elected president.

“I am asking you for prayers during this election period, with my leader Raila Odinga. I am asking you for prayers which should be aimed at uniting the country and ensuring the rule of law is respected,” said Karua.

In what is likely to be seen as political reciprocation, the Head of State dished out key parastatal appointments to members of the church.

He appointed David Mburu and Thiong’o Mwangi as chairman of the Kenya Tea Board and National Harvesting and Storage Authority, respectively.

While Ibrahim Macharia Jeremiah, alias Prince, and Eunice Njeri Njau were appointed as board members of the Postal Corporation of Kenya and the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), respectively.

Uhuru also hived five acres of his family’s land in Naivasha Municipality, worth Sh100 million, and gave it to the church to build its headquarters, conference, and other facilities to serve the faithful,

He also gave Sh10 million and his personal contribution of Sh1 million for members of the church.

The president called on school principals to allow learners who profess the Akurinu faith to wear turbans.

He said the Constitution guarantees all Kenyans freedom of worship wherever they are. “Every religion has its doctrines; our Muslim brothers and sisters go wherever they want in their hijabs and nobody questions them. The Sikh wear their turbans in schools, churches, and businesses and no one questions them.

“I want to reiterate, more so to our school principals who are still discriminating against the Akurinu because of their turbans, that is not right. There is no law that bars anyone from identifying themselves in school, hospitals, or anywhere by their religion. This right is given by the Constitution,” Uhuru said.

Freedom of worship

The conference was attended by thousands of Akurinu faithful as the church marked 100 years of existence in Kenya since its inception.

Debate on the wearing of religious attire in learning institutions in Kenya has generated controversy for the years.

In January 2019, the Supreme Court overturned a Court of Appeal ruling that allowed Muslim students to wear hijabs in public and church-run schools.

In their ruling, the judges said every school should have the right to determine its own rules.

The court said students are not free to wear hijab in non-Muslim schools. It added that schools are free to decide their own dress codes.