There will be no Prayer Rally in Murang’a county this week as earlier planned by a number of political leaders and clergymen who had invited Deputy President William Ruto as the guest of honour.
This follows a warning by the weatherman that the weather conditions on that day will not be favourable for the said event meaning that both the leaders led by Ruto and Murang’a residents who will attend will be at risk.
This is the second time this much hyped Prayer rally has been postponed. It was first postponed after it collided with the burial of Jonathan Moi, Former President Daniel Arap Moi’s first son.
Away from the postponments, this prayer rally has been shrouded in controversies from the first day it was announced.
It all started at the Steering committe with a number of men in cloth withdrawing.
Three Anglican bishops disowned the prayer rally and even accused the main organiser, Murang’a Bishop’s forum chairman Stephen Maina of the Full Time Winners Gospel Church, of disrespecting their spiritual head, Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit, over his remarks on politicians taking “dirty” money to the churches.
Some Murang’a MPs opposed to Dr Ruto said they were not aware of the rally as it was organised by his supporters.
They also and claimed that the prayer rally was a political rally in disguise and is aimed at installing Dr Ruto as Mt Kenya’s favourite.
Central Region County Assemblies Forum representative Charles Mwangi claimed the rally was a ploy to install Dr Ruto as the region’s kingpin.
“There was nothing like a prayer rally. To me, that was a plan to install the deputy president as the region’s kingpin while we know that the President (Uhuru Kenyatta) is our spokesman,” he said.
MPs Nduati Ngugi (Gatanga), Ruth Mwaniki (Kigumo), Muturi Kigano (Kangema) and Peter Kimari (Mathioya) said were not privy with the meeting while leaders allied to Dr Ruto including the host Mary Waithira (Maragua), Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Mr Nyoro have been aware of the meeting.
Some leaders who have spoke in confidence said the meeting was cancelled after powerful forces warned Mt Kenya MPs and the clergy to call it off as it is tantamount to disrespecting President Kenyatta who is the region’s kingpin.
“Powerful forces are to be blamed for the cancellation of the meeting as clergy and political leaders have been warned against escorting Dr Ruto to Mt Kenya which is Mr Kenyatta’s “political bedroom”. In fact expect more to come,”
However, Mr Ngugi told the Nation that the meeting had to be called off since people would not have come out to welcome Tanga Tanga.
“Tanga Tanga is losing ground and they must have learnt this [and called off] the political rally. I believe they also have people on the ground who have told them that they are not welcome in the region,” said the Gatanga MP.
However, political analysts have interpreted the move as an “effort to tame the deputy president and his people from intruding into the President’s backyard without his outright knowledge and permission”.
Mr Maina Wanja said President could be keen on putting his house in order and must have had a hand in the rally’s cancellation.
“The President has been mocked and disrespected enough times by the leaders in Mt Kenya region. The recent appointments of leaders who opposed Tanga Tanga members and the two time cancellation of the prayer rally in the region speak volumes,” he said.