The Very Rev Canon Dr Sammy Wainaina of the All Saints Cathedral located in Nairobi’s Central Business District has never minced his words w...
The Very Rev Canon Dr Sammy Wainaina of the All Saints Cathedral located in Nairobi’s Central Business District has never minced his words when it came to criticizing President William Ruto and his wife, First Lady Rachel Ruto, for going overboard with religion.
The President and his wife are known for being overly religious, going as far as hosting prayer meetings at State House, hosting the clergy and having special prayer meetings.
This was one of the campaign tools President Ruto used to ascend to the highest seat in the land, attempting to differentiate himself and his allies as God fearing people unlike their competitors.
Within the first few days, First Lady Rachel Ruto attended 60 prayer meetings between mid-September and mid-December, 2022.
While many support that a man of faith is leading the country, others believe that the First Family tends to overdo it. Among those who hold this view is Rev Wainaina.
Below are the notable times he criticized the first couple for their leadership:
1. Ruto being happy that the church had finally returned to the center of politics in Kenya.
“In my understanding, he said there is no separation between church and state, and that’s where I differ with the President right away. There is a demarcation, there is a relationship but there is also a separation,” said Provost Wainaina.
He went on to call out the Kenya Kwanza government for holding prayer rallies in the name of thanksgiving where clergy preach for an hour and the rest of the meeting is for political maligning, attacks and plots to revenge.
He told the President to wait until the church service is over and then they can head to the nearest stadium where they can do their politics because prayers and thanksgiving are sacred, and for them to stay off podiums and pulpits.
2. Provost Wainaina faulting the government for holding several prayer rallies instead of serving Kenyans.
Rev Wainaina said in a recent Spice FM interview saying that what Kenyans needed from the government were not prayers for Kenyans- because Kenyans can pray for themselves- but what they needed are services.
“Matthew chapter 6 talks of when you want to pray close your door. Go in there. You can easily package yourself as a religious but not Godly. We are away from politics now. You promised to deliver, simply deliver. That’s all!” said Provost Wainaina.
3. Holding a ‘divisionary’ National Prayer Day at Nyayo Stadium in February 2023
According to Provost Wainaina, President Ruto was dividing the country by calling for prayer rallies which were not all inclusive.
“When a president invites people to Nyayo Stadium, many of his supporters will show up but what you are doing is not unifying the country in the name of prayer. You are actually dividing the country. When a section of the church goes to such prayer meetings again you are dividing the very church," Rec Wainaina said.
"If the president wanted a day of prayer, there are organizations that he could have called such as the Inter-Religious Council because we need to be as inclusive as possible. In future, if we get a Muslim president and he does what Ruto is doing in public, how will the Christians feel?” said the Provost.
