President William Ruto has called for unity in Kenya, seeking to calm the storm between the church and state.
Speaking in a church service on Sunday, Ruto called on church leaders and other state officials to shun division.
“There is no need to exchange words…all these things. Calm down, there is no competition between the church and others or the church and state. We are one country,” he said.
“This country cannot prosper on division, we have to be united. The church and the state must work together,” Ruto added.
The statements comes amid a simmering clash between the church and state officials.
The clash began after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) called out Ruto’s administrations for failed promises, high taxation and failure to listen to citizens.
In a hard-hitting statement on November 14, the Bishops told Ruto’s government to stop its ‘culture of lies’.
The bishops accused the political class of turning a deaf ear to key concerns raised by Kenyans, including over taxation, unemployment, disturbing gaps in the implementation of the CBC education system, and the transition from NHIF to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Ruto would later attend a Sunday mass in Soweto where he gave a Ksh. 600,000 donation and pledged another Ksh.2 million for the completion of the parish priest’s residence.
Days later, the Archbishop of the Nairobi Archdiocese Philip Anyolo announced that the church would return the funds as its origin is unknown.
Archbishop Anyolo emphasised the importance of preserving the Church’s independence and sanctity, as well as the ethical concerns surrounding political contributions.
By Fridah Naliaka
