- Barasa said that putting the country in an early electioneering mood would disrupt service delivery to the people.
- Bishop Florence Wandera of Dominion Church Kakamega also hit out at the government over lack of vaccines for children under five years.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Religious leaders from Western have urged President William Ruto not to allow his troops from Rift Valley to attack his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
The over 20 bishops and imams led by Kakamega county chaplain Apostle Ken Barasa said recent public attacks on the DP are brewing animosity between the President and his deputy and raising political tensions.
He said that putting the country in an early electioneering mood would disrupt service delivery to the people.
"Ruto must rise to the occasion and call his MPs who are attacking Gachagua to order. The perceived misunderstanding between the President and his deputy is now spilling to the grassroots and it risks derailing Kenya Kwanza's development agenda," Barasa said.
"Ruto knows well that when he (then DP) had a misunderstanding with his predecessor, ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta, it derailed the Big 4 Agenda and fuelled political animosity that almost pushed the country into anarchy as communities rallied themselves along tribal lines."
He said that the clergy’s desire is for Ruto to have a truce with his deputy.
He said Ruto should rid himself of hardliners surrounding him and get a new team of sober advisers who will ensure the country is united as opposed to tearing it apart.
While addressing the 61st Madaraka Day celebrations at Masinde Muliro stadium in Bungoma, Gachagua said that all elected leaders were united behind Ruto.
Chief Imam for Western region Ibrahim Sadala urged the President and his deputy to focus on fulfilling their pre-election promises instead of flexing muscles.
"When you promise something, you have to fulfil the promise by ensuring its full implementation. we are being overtaxed but we are not seeing the fruits of the taxes we pay yet people we put in office to steer the country are fighting each other,” Sadala said.
"We want the government to continue lowering the cost of living. We cannot afford to take our children to school and fend for our families in this state."
Pastor Nathan Lanya of Christian Fellowship Church International said the Finance Bill 2024 was punitive and should be reconsidered.
“The President and his deputy have allocated billions of shillings to their offices but scrapped a school feeding programme, a fundamental issue that can help the common mwananchi,” he said.
"Taxes are good but let's be responsible in spending. We want to see what the taxes are doing," said Lanya, adding, "In the last financial year, a lot of money was collected but what did it do? We want clear accountability of the taxes we pay".
Bishop Florence Wandera of Dominion Church Kakamega also hit out at the government over lack of vaccines for children under five years.
"Millions of children are missing out on the important vaccines due to stockouts. Let's procure the vaccines and bring them to the hospitals," Wandera said.