Pious platitude is rapidly gaining ground.
Political excitement is fanning it.
Dousing efforts seem unsuccessful.
Politically biased religious leaders are fueling the political deadlock strangling Kenya.
Most are pro-establishment, using their moral influence for monetary and personal ends.
They have perfected the “Politics of the belly”.
These are reminiscent of acts that curtain-raised the infamous 2007 ballot.
Churches and mosques were gravely divided along political and ethnic paths, partly contributing to the massacre that left over 1,000 dead and over 600,000 internally displaced.
Catholic Archbishop Cardinal John Njue and PCEA heads “ruined” the church when they openly sided with the Party of National Unity.
Because of such division, the church did not speak in one voice as Kenyans were being butchered.
The Catholics unprecedentedly took an ugly turn, vowing to avenge the death of Michael Kamau, a priest who hailed from Nakuru diocese and was killed during PEV.
Men of God spoilt by politicians’ huge sums — mostly given as offerings or contribution to projects — continue to overlook this insincere religious talk that almost burnt Kenya to entirety.
Spiritual leaders are under fire again for playing partisan politics, even during sermons.
The devout have not shied away from endorsing either Jubilee or NASA.
This is to the discomfort of their congregations.
Their prayers during political events have not been “Godly”, either. Instead of uniting, they have “conversed” with God, attacking the opposing camp.
Their rigorousness in spreading the venom is inconceivable.
They no longer hold the tag “Man of God” or “The light of the world”.
They seem engulfed in worldly riches.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga have literally been turned to demigods.
It is now evident religious bodies are in tatters, reputations damaged and genuine leadership unfeasible.
Who will lead stray flock?
NOTABLE EXAMPLES
Sheikh Khalifa Mohamed, organising secretary of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, and Sheikh Juma Ngao, chairman of the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council, are notable biased preachers from the Coast.
Sheikh Omar Twaha from Mombasa is on the spotlight, too.
Khalifa is staunch supporter of Jubilee.
Twaha is a NASA fanatic and has been praying in mega rallies, including when the coalition unveiled its flag bearer, Raila.
Ngao has flip-flopped.
He has supported Jubilee and NASA during the stretched election period.
He’s now in Jubilee.
The trio’s prayers in political meetings have been deemed “ridicule”.
Critics, including presidential candidate Abduba Dida, have termed such leaders “profane”.
He has said they should be investigated for money laundering.
Dida has even suggested the EACC should raid their mosques and churches.
Other critics have pointed to a real case of political brokering, where money exchanges hands.
But whose interest are such these “spiritual” leaders serving? The faithful? No. Oneself? Probably.
DIVISIVE RHETORIC
Instead of uniting, the leaders’ utterances — some full of political rhetoric — are leaving behind a confused and dangerously divided flock thirsty for the right and righteous direction.
Columnist Okech Kendo has accused the church of indifference as “injustices flower”.
He has blamed biased clergy for the political dead-end choking Kenya.
“Archbishop Cardinal John Njue, the local spiritual head of Uhuru’s (Catholic) church, is yet to address these divisive issues,” Oketch says.
He adds: “Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit, the local head of the Anglican Church, has spoken on these issues. But his voice has not rallied the church into finding a solution to the imbroglio.”
Visits by clergies to State House have further cast doubts on their impartiality and servanthood.
Members of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, the National Muslim Leaders’ Forum and the Jamia Mosque visited in May. They vowed to vote Uhuru.
Central Council of Nomiya Faith Churches and Catholic bishops have also been to the house on the hill.
Speculation abounds on the sort of “appreciation” leaders get after the visit.
This caused a furor, with members of Nomiya threatening to take disciplinary action against the visitors.
Pastor Peter Ndaita of Grace Church, Philadelphia, USA, says some clergies have been dishonest in their dealings.
“I’m not discounting the sincerity of prayers offered or their efficacy, but in a country that fills places of worship every Sunday, things should be a little less tense,” he says.
Cardinal John Njue’s personal secretary, Fr Calistus Nyangilo, was quoted in August saying politics has divided the church and, to an extent, the nation.
“The church has been trying to reclaim its trust, and it takes a long time... It has been both an individual and collective struggle to reclaim the unity of the church,” Nyangilio says.
All the mainstream churches in Kenya are a reflection of political division.
African Inland Church was openly identified as both a “Kanu and Kalenjin church” during the Moi era.
The situation was so dire that then head Bishop Silas Yego openly associated with Moi. Occasionally, he attended some Kanu meetings.
Yego helped Moi fend off criticism from the National Council of Churches of Kenya.
UNHOLY ALLIANCE
Studies on the relationship between religion and politics reveal it’s tough to elucidate how religion and politics in any given society relate or should relate.
Such research includes “Religion and Politics in the Contemporary Kenya”, published in 2012.
Sussy Gumo, Abwire Akuloba and Simon Gisenge authored the 13-page document.
The study, published by School of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Moi University, Eldoret, says politics encompasses all spheres of human life.
One has no excuse but to be political, irrespective of his position in society, gender or religious inclinations, the research states.
This conforms to Aristotle’s Political Naturalism theory that partly states: “Human beings are, by nature, political animals.”
The paper says some churches have failed to deliver and, therefore, lack a grip over their faithful.
It says earlier evils committed by churches still vivid among the followers have aggravate the division. It cites close association with colonial powers.
Sheikh Juma Ngao defends his strong support for Jubilee and attacks against those he’s religiously and morally bounded to unite and lead.
“In any competition you must portray the other person badly so that you can win,” he says.
Ngao says Islam teaches how to take firm stand in anything — politics included.
He cites Surah Hamim-Sajda (Urdu) in Quran, which backs his assertion.
“If you believe in God, you must take a stand in religion, life and anything you want to do. Religious leaders cannot be separated from politics,” Ngao insists.
He says the biblical Kings David and Solomon and Joseph were politicians. Why not him?
Sheikh Khalifa Mohamed says he roots for Jubilee because “this administration, compared to others, has appointed the most Muslims”.
Bishop Michael Simba, the head of Methodist Church, Mombasa synod, says it is wrong for religious leaders to take sides in politics.
“We are supposed to be neutral. We must stand for the truth, justice and peace, as the gospel says,” he said.
He asks those taking sides to change their positions.
“Our nation needs to be united. Imams, pastors and bishops should brave the temptations,” he said.
Simba is also the Coast chair ofthe
National Church Council of Kenya.
CLERICS COMPROMISED
The Moi University research says the church and politics encompass all human beings, irrespective of their geographical positions in the world.
What may vary, however, is how the church and politics may affect people in a given place.
“There should, therefore, be a unique way that these two should relate in respective places,” it says.
Ex-President Mwai Kibaki, while serving as a minister in the Kanu government, said the clergy must be outspoken and point out evils.
“A modern church is expected to be outspoken because other groups must be cautious,” he said.
“We must have at least some organisation that speaks out for the rights of man, regardless of what happens tomorrow.”
The study ranks ethnicity among the factors that affect both religion and politics in Kenya.
The paper says most religious leaders are compromised on ethnic grounds and on material benefits.
It cites Dr Kilemi Mwiria, once an assistant minister for education.
Mwiria notes: “This is perhaps the first time in our history that spiritual leaders have contributed to dividing the country along ethnic lines.”
The research shows there has always been some interference from states in the activities of the church.
“States should allow churches to play their roles independently. Churches, on the other hand, need to retrain their servants in attitude and pay them commensurate to the work that they do and according to their qualifications,” the paper recommends.