Three Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) bishops have distanced themselves from a major prayer rally planned in Murang’a to be attended by Deputy President William Ruto.
At the same time, Murang’a Catholic Bishop James Maria Wainaina also dissociated himself from the rally, saying he will not attend it.
The rally had been planned for Saturday but organisers on Thursday said it has been postponed to May 11 as the DP will be attending the burial of Jonathan Toroitich, the son of former President Daniel Arap Moi.
On Wednesday, Bishop Maina had said 11 of his colleagues from various denominations including the ACK and the Catholic Church were in the organizing committee of the prayer meeting also meant to endorse the DP for the presidency come 2022.
But on Thursday, ACK bishops Julius Wanyoike (Thika), Julius Karanu (Mt Kenya South) and Timothy Gichere (Mt Kenya Central) said they did not want to be dragged into political controversies.
Bishop Maina had said the clerics would not heed Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit’s call for a stop of church harambees by politicians. Bishops Wanyoike, Karanu and Gichere said they have been organizing prayers to be held at a venue and time to be communicated later.
The divisions in the mainstream churches now threaten to throw the mega rally into limbo.
Meanwhile, over 100 bishops and pastors affiliated to the Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa Thursday held a meeting in Nyahururu town, Laikipia County. The bishops from Mt Kenya region were reported to have met to plan for a visit by the DP in Laikipia County next month.
Mr. David Ogwagwa, one of the organizers, dismissed claims that the meeting was meant to plan for the DP’s tour of the region. However a source privy to the organizing committee confirmed that each Bishop was to receive Shs1m from the DP’s campaign team manager Faruk Kibet if they confirmed their attendance.