Don't let politicians lie to you — PCEA church

The Presbyterian Church of East Africa head has criticised presidential aspirants of promising benefits that are unrealistic and not implementable.

Speaking at the opening of Madogo PCEA church in Tana River, East Africa PCEA head Rt Rev Patrick Thegu Mutahi urged Kenyans to  scrutinise aspirants' manifestos and track records.

He cited ODM leader Raila Odinga’s promised social protection programme that would give poor families a Sh6,000 monthly stipend and Deputy President William Ruto’s  bottom-up economic  model.

Odinga’s pledge is expected to cost taxpayers Sh137 billion annually.

The two have defended their pledges as realistic and doable.

Ruto said the bottom-up model is focused on the jobless, struggling ‘hustler’ enterprises and those who can’t put food on the table. Raila says he knows where to find the money and said he programme was implementable.

Mutahi said the current economic situation cannot sustain the pledges.

“I keep asking myself, are some of these pledges implementable? Which kind of economy are we talking about that will sustain their promises? 

"I seriously doubt ours can. My humble appeal to politicians is please be realistic and pledge things you will be able to fulfill if and when you are elected,” he said.

"My advice is simple: even as you listen to the politicians with their manifestos and pledges, kindly sieve their messages and differentiate between real pledges and political rhetoric. Don’t just be convinced or fall into their trap.

"When the time comes kindly vote wisely."

He urged Kenyans to embrace unity and love one another. He told them not to blindly follow politicans because while they are quick to differ today, they will later wine and dine together.

“Sober up and stop taking politics personally. You saw what happened between the President and former Prime Minister who are now buddies. That should tell you a lot."

He was referring to the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga on March 9, 2018. They differed sharply prior to the 2017 polls and called each other names. But they still met and ironed out their differences.

He said voting comes and goes and appealed to both politicians and Kenyans at large to be mature before during and after the elections.

On Thursday last week in Kisumu, DP Ruto was forced to cut off his speech after a unruly youths heckled him and threw stones.

Police engaged the youth in running battles and dispersed the crowd with teargas. Some were chanting prp-Rala slogans.

Rev Mutahi said it was best to stay away or avoid rallies of politicians one does not like.

Lawlessness and destruction of property help no one, he said.

(Edited by V. Graham)