Kilifi North MP Owen Baya on Friday launched a scathing attack on Catholic bishops over their criticism of the government for fostering a "culture of lies."
Baya, the deputy majority leader at the National Assembly, said there is nothing as bad as seeing bishops convening to come up with a misleading statement.
“I want to tell you that if the President fails, it is Kenya that will have failed. If you pray for the President to fail, it is Kenya that will go down,” he said.
Baya added that the bishops need Kenya to be stable for them to preach the gospel.
“What Catholic bishops are doing is unfair before God and man. To peddle lies and information that is incorrect and to actually ask God to curse this country.”
The MP said that bishops, priests or Imams have an obligation to pray for the President and the country.
“I want to ask them politely, if you have a problem with William Ruto as a president because you think your tribe is now not with him, then you mislead other bishops to come and condemn the President, I want to tell you, you will not see heaven.”
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) on Thursday strongly criticised President Ruto’s government, accusing it of fostering a culture of lies and failing to deliver on promises to the Kenyan people.
They also condemned the government of allegedly using state machinery to suppress critics, neglecting public concerns, and reversing democratic progress in Kenya.
The bishops said they are appalled by the recurrent cases of abductions, disappearances, torture and killings of Kenyans.
They noted that many Kenyans have lost trust in the government they elected just over two years ago.
“We decry the increasing murder of women. This has caused great consternation, anger and disgust. Many families are still grappling with the loss of their children who were brutally killed, injured, or went missing following what is referred to as Gen Z demonstrations in June 2024,” the clerics said in a statement signed by Most Rev Maurice Muhatia, the chair of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The men of cloth also waded into the health status in the country and said failure to pay outstanding NHIF dues to faith-based health facilities has severely impacted vulnerable communities.
They pointed out that several faith-based hospitals, particularly those run by the Catholic Church, were owed substantial amounts in unpaid claims. The government responded in style with at least four government institutions and the President saying in their response the clergy was not being factual.
