On Saturday, March 21, 2026, the long-standing alliance between President William Ruto and Kenya’s religious institutions reached a new low. Speaking in Yala, Siaya County, the President launched a bare-knuckle defense of his administration, directly hitting back at recent critiques from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).
His message was blunt: The Church must stop allowing its sacred platforms to be used as arenas for political mudslinging. This latest exchange follows a week of “verbal indiscipline” that has seen the President, his former deputy, and opposition leaders trading raw insults in public—a trend the clergy has termed a “national disgrace.”
The “Verbal Indiscipline” Row
The current firestorm was ignited by Archbishop Maurice Muhatia, Chairperson of the KCCB, during a service in Machakos. The Archbishop did not mince words, describing the public bickering between the President and opposition figures like Fred Matiang’i as “shameful and dangerous.”
The Clergy’s Accusation:
Collapse of Leadership: Muhatia warned that the youth are “traumatized” by seeing their leaders behave with such a lack of decorum.
Disrespect to Citizens: The bishops argued that when leaders insult each other in public, they aren’t just attacking their rivals—they are disrespecting the 50 million Kenyans they represent.
Ruto’s Rebuttal: “Do Not Allow the Altar to be Used for Fitina”
President Ruto, however, is shifting the blame back to the religious leaders. He accused some churches of “enabling” toxic rhetoric by giving opposition figures a platform to spread what he called “insults and ethnic hatred.”
“I respect our religious leaders very much, but do not allow the platforms, the altars, and the church to be used for insults… for driving fitina (malice), tribalism, and hatred among Kenyans,” the President stated.
He further challenged the clergy to be “factual” in their critiques, echoing his November 2024 stance where he warned that those who accuse the government of a “culture of lies” must ensure they aren’t victims of the same falsehoods.
The “Soweto Incident” and the Rejection of Donations
This tension isn’t new, but it has intensified. In late 2024, the Catholic Church made headlines by returning a Ksh 5.6 million donation from President Ruto, citing the need to safeguard the church from being used for political purposes.
In 2026, the “pulpit politics” debate has moved from money to messaging. The President’s allies, including Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, have expressed “embarrassment” that Archbishops are presiding over services where insults are traded, suggesting the Church has lost control of its own altars.
Why This Matters for 2027
As the 2027 General Election cycle begins to heat up, the Church’s role as a “moral referee” is being tested.
The Middle Ground: Mainstream churches (Catholic, ACK) are increasingly positioning themselves as the voice of the “disillusioned” youth and the suffering taxpayer.
The State’s Strategy: President Ruto is attempting to frame the Church’s criticism as “partisan,” effectively telling them to stay in the spiritual lane and out of the political arena.
The “Matiang’i” Factor: The President’s recent sharp attacks on Fred Matiang’i—including comments on personal fitness and “eating habits”—have been cited by the clergy as the prime example of the “decay” in public discourse.
Conclusion: A Sanctuary or a Battlefield?
The “Tuko Kadi” registration drives and the “sick nation” assessments from the pulpit show that the Church is no longer willing to be a silent partner to the State. President Ruto’s warning against “politicizing the pulpit” is a high-stakes gamble; it seeks to silence critics within the clergy but risks alienating a massive, loyal voting bloc that looks to the bishops for guidance.
As we head into Sunday services tomorrow, all eyes will be on whether the clergy doubles down on their “Truth to Power” message or heeds the President’s warning to “keep off.”
