- Bishop Charles Asilutwa of Maseno North said President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua must speak in one voice.
- Bishop Paul Korir of Kapsabet said politicians were unnecessarily putting the country in an election mood instead of allowing the citizens to work.
Image: Barry Salil
The church wants political leaders in Kenya to tone down their political rhetoric to reduce tension and uncertainty in the country.
Anglican bishops Paul Korir of Kapsabet and Charles Asilutwa of Maseno North dioceses respectively said heighten political temperatures in the country should be a big worry to those in authority.
Bishop Korir noted that politicians were unnecessarily putting the country in an election mood instead of allowing the citizens to work and recover the economy.
Bishop Asilutwa called for unity in the presidency noting that President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua must speak in one voice and unite the country.
“When these politicians address their meetings, it looks as if the country was either in political competition or in a succession mood,” Bishop Korir said.
The prelate noted that the country was yet to recover economically from the aftermath of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and appealed to politicians to stop being self-seekers.
“You must realise that Kenyans are still suffering economically since the advent of Covid-19 and you should allow them to recover first,” Korir said.
He appealed to the government and Members of Parliament to consider the plight of citizens and not to accept any further taxation.
The bishops spoke at St Barnabs mini Cathedral in Kapsabet during a cannonation ceremony of seven clerics and one lay leader into the ranks of ACK Cannons.
The clerics called for the rejection of Finance Bill, 2024, in Parliament describing it as “unfortunate bill” aimed at injuring Kenyans.
“I want to urge MP’s not to accept any taxation but should instead give Kenyans tax reliefs to alleviate their respective poor living standards," Bishop Korir said.
"The many cases of sudden deaths, suicides, homicides - majority were as a result stress, depressions and unstable minds boardering on economic difficulties," he added.
Korir said it was time citizens are relieved from difficulties by ending any form of extra taxation.
Bishop Asilutwa asked the government to confront corruption head on noting that the greatest vice that was denying citizens government services was wastages and corruption within state institutions.
“It is time the government confronts that instead of taxing citizens because they don’t get any value for their taxes,” Bishop Asilutwa noted.
“We as the Church of Christ don’t want to hear political camps being created in the same government because it only benefits self-seekers which must be avoided by all means,” the Maseno North bishop said.
Bishop Korir urged the president and his deputy to speak in one voice saying they are after all in one political formation.