Meru Bishop cuts short Linturi’s speech after he attacked Raila in church pulpit
Meru Senator Mithika Linturi was on Friday, March 4, 2022 put on the spot by CITAM bishop Calisto Odede after he seemed to have veered into politics during a prayer session.
The CITAM church in Meru county was playing host to local religious and political leadership for a prayer breakfast. The prayer breakfast was geared at enhancing peace, cohesion, prosperity and development towards the forthcoming August 9 General Election.
Amid the prayer session Linturi, who is affiliated to Ruto's UDA party, was granted an opportunity to address the gathering.
During his speech, the vocal politician attacked ODM Leader Raila Odinga, accusing him of being the cause of violence in every electioneering period.
"People have been fighting because there is an individual who does not accept results once they are announced by the IEBC," the lawmaker claimed.
Linturi's statement did not augur well with the presiding Bishop, who moved to the pulpit and asked him to abide by the church's rule, that bans politics in its platform.
Bishop Odede told Linturi that he ministers to people of different political persuasions and it is incumbent on him to respect the political diversity among the congregation.
"Thank you very senator. As I mentioned a little earlier, as a church, we try to minister to people from different political parties without creating any sense of animosity.
In a function like this, which in our church, we try to maintain that attitude that everything else comes, whether you are UDA, ODM or Jubilee, you are welcomed here. You need to feel comfortable here that no one is alienating you and no one is saying some things negative. Mheshimiwa, I don't whether we need to let you go on," the bishop stated.
