Jimmy Gathu
New Lister
Which way KENYA?
THE GOVERNMENT versus THE CHURCH/THE PEOPLE
Democracy requires that a government be OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE. Recently, there has been growing differences between the government of Kenya (The Kenya Kwanza Coalition administration) and the Church. While the church was at the forefront in campaigning for serikali ya mama mboga, it is leading from the front in dissenting against the conduct of the present day government.
It started with an expression of displeasure of the current regime by the leading protestant churches led by the likes of Reverend Teresiah Wairimu of Faith Evangelistic Ministries, Apostle William Kimani of Kingdom Seekers Fellowship, and Bishop JJ Gitahi of Priesthood Fellowship Churches. These church leaders called on the administration for what they referred to as lying to the public, unfulfilled promises and arrogance among the political class.
The protestants would then be supported by a blasting condemnation of the current regime by The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), and KENYA CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS. In their statement dated 14th Nov, 2024, the catholic bishops told off the government for Violation of human rights and Freedom of speech, Corruption, Self-centeredness by trying to extend term of elected leaders, Abductions, and Over-taxation of citizens. In their defense, the government would retaliate by issuing a record 14 press statements within 24 hours trying to counter the effects of the bishops. Notable of all these press statements was the attack of Archbishop of the Diocese of Nyeri Antony Muheria by one poplar lawmaker of Kenya kwanza administration who later received backlash from Kenyans for attacking a religious leader.
The church is the custodian of public interest and the moral fabric of both the citizens and the government. The growing public dissatisfaction as shown by the church is that the current regime is NOT OF THE PEOPLE, it might be BY THE PEOPLE-because it is them that elected it in a free and fair elections of August 2022, but it is definitely NOT FOR THE PEOPLE - Incomplete (or injured) democracy