President William Ruto has been urged to address critical governance and leadership issues raised by the Catholic bishops on Thursday.
Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi on Friday implored the President to avoid any exchanges with the men of the cloth.
He asked the President to instead focus his energy on finding the truth in what the men of God raised with a view of addressing shortcomings in government.
Mwangangi was speaking when he attended the thanksgiving service and farewell celebration for Rt Reverend Joseph Mutungi at ACK Machakos Cathedral.
The DG said bishops are not politicians to be answered back.
"Don't answer them back as if they are politicians, if I were you, I would sit down with the church and get to know the problem,'' Mwangangi told President Ruto.
The DG said that a meeting between the President and the clergy would iron out any issues and allow the head of state to clarify issues and where bishops are wrong rectify them.
Mwangangi described Reverend Mutungi as a committed servant of God whose pastoral journey has touched the lives of many.
"I take this opportunity to wish him the very best as he enters a new chapter of his life in serving humanity,'' he said.
His sentiments come a day after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops warned that the government and public officers are engaging in lies to Kenyans.
They warned that the country was heading in the wrong direction and called for an end to the raging abductions allegedly by the state security agencies.
The bishops called for an end to what they termed a culture of lies and urged the government to serve Kenyans diligently by ensuring a functional health and education system.
However, President Ruto on Friday denied claims by the bishops, telling them to be truthful and objective in their criticism of the government.
Though he did not make a direct reference to the Bishops, Ruto's remarks came on the back of fierce criticism from the clergy who faulted the government for what they described as " telling lies".
"Even as we engage in public discourse on matters that are important to the people of Kenya, we must be careful to be factual, lest we become victims of the things we accuse others of doing... I know you know what I mean," Ruto said during Tangaza University's graduation ceremony.
