Deputy President Ruto new tune on church ban
Deputy President (DP) William Ruto yesterday called on religious leaders to consider lifting the ban on politicians from speaking in churches.
Speaking at St Lorent Angaine AIPCA church in Timau, Buuri constituency in Meru County, the DP urged church leaders not to chase away politicians.
Quoting from the book of Psalm 133, which says God is pleased when he sees brothers and sisters seated on the same table in harmony, Ruto added that politicians are also human beings who need salvation and deliverance.
Turning point
“I am requesting the churches that banned politicians from speaking in church to allow them. We cannot see heaven if we don’t go through the church,,” he added.
Ruto said some politicians come to church for competition but who knows, it could also be a turning point in their salvation.
He at the same time maintained that politicians joined church services after he set a good example in contributing greatly to church projects .
“Don’t chase them away, allow them to come and get saved because they have seen how I am continuing to receive blessings from God due to my active deeds in church,” added Ruto.
Ruto’s remarks come a fortnight after the leadership of the Catholic and Anglican Church of Kenya barred political leaders from addressing the church from the pulpit: “Now that they are here, preach salvation to them, so that we all get saved,” he said.
Ruto’s remarks yesterday contradict the position he had taken last week while in Githunguri where he appeared to support the church’s decision.
“We have been asked to avoid politicking in church and that is why I am not going to make any political pronouncements while standing on a church pulpit,” Ruto said then.
During his vote hunting tour in Meru County yesterday, Ruto also blamed Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga for the current political and economic crisis facing the nation.
While selling his bottom-up economy agenda in Timau and Meru town, the DP accused Raila of being the stumbling block to the implementation of the Big Four agenda; a move he said has continued to derail the economy.
Death of Jubilee
Calling on the former premier to prepare for the worst defeat in the coming General Election, Ruto blamed Handshake for prioritising Constitution change instead of focusing on the Big Four agenda.
He said that if not for the birth of Handshake in March 2018, their administration would be at an advanced stage in implementing Jubilee developmental manifestos and Big four agenda.
“ Before the reggae-man came in, Jubilee’s Big Four agenda was moving smoothly and was our main priority, because the most important thing is to change the lives of Kenyans and not changing the Constitution to create powers. That is where we went wrong after the Handshake and everything changed including the death of Jubilee,” he said.
He expressed confidence that his United Democratic Alliance party would form the next government.
