Kenya is the only country, not just south of the Sahara and north of the Limpopo, but also in the entire world, with a ‘God-chosen’ President. The son of Sarah and the President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr William Samoei Ruto, was ‘anointed’ by our spiritual leaders to succeed a ‘masherehe’ President.

Ruto is adored by the Church, celebrated as a divine choice and nearly worshipped. As the ‘anointed’ one, he inspires spiritual leaders to sing his praises with unmatched zeal, knowing fully well that their heavenly melodies will soon translate into earthly millions disguised as church donations. Their faith has failed to move the mountain of bad governance, corruption, extrajudicial killings, high taxes, abductions and many other vices. Instead, their faith only moves bank accounts.

This group of clerics has no shame. They are unfazed and have betrayed the society they are supposed to serve and nourish spiritually. To a large extent, they have failed the youth and the gallant Gen Z who were (and still are) brutally murdered by this regime. The Church, with its leaders driving state-of-the-art fuel guzzlers, has no qualms about taking millions while hungry Kenyans die because they cannot afford even a drop of water.

The churches, housed in top-tier architectural marvels, celebrate while schools struggle to stay open, and the dreams of young Kenyans fade before their eyes. The Church rejoices in its millions, even as the sick remain stranded in hospitals with mounting bills.

A few days ago, President Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja contributed Sh2.8 million to a church. The president’s allies, including Farouk Kibet and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, donated Sh5 million to another church in West Pokot County. While it’s true that contributions help build churches, what about schools and hospitals? Must they be constructed with pain and tears?

Ladies and gentlemen, take a deep breath. This is the reality we are facing. A year has 52 weeks. Mind you, the President and his allies generously donate to churches every weekend, often to the tune of Sh1 million. That is on the lower side — they frequently exceed this amount. After all, they are ‘abled differently’.

Meanwhile, the education sector is inspiring no hope. Desperation is growing among students who rely on the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans and grants to stay in college. Schools also depend on government funding, which has been minimal at best. We have seen lecturers down tools due to delayed payments, leaving students unable to access education — let alone survive.

The healthcare system isn’t spared either. Medics have also gone on strike because the government has failed to pay them. This has not only disrupted operations at hospitals but also put the lives of millions of Kenyans seeking medical care at risk.

One wonders, why can’t our government, led by our ‘divine’ President, dedicate weeks to donating to these critical sectors? For instance, in January, the President and his allies could spare four weeks to visit various schools in North Eastern and donate their millions there. The following month, they could focus on different hospitals and channel their generous contributions there. And so forth.

The Church doesn’t need money as urgently as healthcare, education and other ailing sectors. They badly need the President’s generosity. Mr President, sir, let’s prioritise what truly matters.

— The writer is a Sub-Editor with People Daily-