Religious leaders are now challenging President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, to settle their political differences for the sake of peace and unity among Kenyans.
The religious leaders argue that the two political leaders should shelve their differences and seek a lasting solution to the problems bedeviling the country.
They argue that the antagonism between the duo poses a threat to the gains made by the country over the years.
Appearing on JKLive on Citizen TV on Wednesday, September 1, Rev. Timothy Njoya, Bishop David Oginde and Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome, argued that the President and his deputy should settle their differences amicably rather than going bare knuckles on each other.
Bishop Oginde said that the religious leaders have been vocal and critical in efforts to reconcile the two leaders, as much as they have not been doing so in public. He argued that the Head of State and his deputy should solve their problems internally, rather than spewing the venom in public.
“When a mother and a father fight in a family, we do not go shouting about it, but we try to sort out the issues internally. As religious leaders, we have been doing something behind the scenes,” noted Bishop Oginde.
“We are not going to solve our problems in public. The things you are seeing in the political scene could be worse, but we have been doing something about it and that is why they have not gotten out of hand.”
Oginde said the religious institutions have a central role to play if the country is to realise the full benefits of its leadership.
On his part, second liberation fighter and outspoken man of cloth, Rev. Timothy Njoya said its is high time the country devises ways to resolve political differences, asking President Kenyatta and his deputy to tone down.
“We have an evil sub-culture in how we resolve political differences - by using violence. We need to devise other ways of resolving election loss other than violence,” argued the Rev, castigating the political class for using the youth to settle political scores.
“This evil culture has seen the politicians use children of the poor mobilised to attack children of other poor people. You will never see the kids of these violent mobilisers get involved. They always set up the poor against the poor and impoverish them even more.”
On his part, Sheikh Lithome said that the current leadership and political crisis in the country is a monster that has been bled and fed by Kenyans.
The Jamia Mosque Sheikh argued that the country started degenerating after religious institutions allowed politicians to get away with their bad habits.
“The rain started beating us when we allowed politicians to get away with their bad deeds,” he stated, adding that religious leaders should not allow politicians to do as they wish.
“As religious leaders, we have the power to decide what the politicians do in our institutions. If a politician comes to my Mosque, I will tell them where to sit. They will not dictate to me. I can only allow them to get away with what they do if this country belongs to them.”
The religious leaders said the clergy is to blame for allowing politicians to do as they wish when they visit religious institutions.
Rev Njoya suggested that the country forms a bureau to vet individuals before being allowed to contest for any leadership position, arguing that Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 has been taken for granted.
