Why DP Ruto's Mega Rally Has Been Called Off

A mega prayer rally that Deputy President William Ruto was supposed to grace, was on Thursday called off a day to the event. 

The rally that was supposed to take place in Kenol town, Murang’a County, on April 27, has been postponed to May 11 to allow the DP to attend Jonathan Moi's funeral on Saturday. 

The postponement comes while sharp divisions have emerged among bishops and politicians regarding the rally. 

A section of religious leaders from ACK and Catholic churches in Murang'a have dissociated themselves with the event due to the potentially political nature it may take. 

Bishop George Kariuki of Christian Foundation Fellowship (CFF) told Nation that the divisions could have been attributed to the recent national debate on Ruto’s contributions to churches. 

He also disclosed that the meeting was planned in 2018 when over 250 clergymen met Ruto at his Karen home.

The split has trickled down to MPs, some of whom have stated that the meeting was planned behind President Uhuru Kenyatta's back. 

Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, who thought the rally was meant to make a statement on Ruto's support in Central Kenya, told K24 TV that, "The intention was a show of force and I think it was deliberately calculated to be done when the president and ODM leader are out of the country."

His Mathira counterpart Rigathi Gachagua, on the other hand, dismissed the claims of the rally's political intention. 

"It was not a political meeting. I have heard people say there would be major pronouncements but I think they were just prayers, more so for the country and for the rains," he stated.