Rigathi Gachagua Lectures Ruto’s Allies for Criticising Catholic Bishops: “We Must Respect Them”

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has hit out at President William Ruto’s allies for targeting the Catholic bishops. During a church service on Sunday, November 17, in Kajiado North Constituency, Gachagua warned the government-friendly politicians to stop attacks targeting the men of the cloth. Gachagua defended the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops over their criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration. 

“Let us be humble and allow our religious leaders to chastise us. The voice of the church is the voice of God, when our spiritual fathers speak, they don’t just speak in vain, I don’t think 30 bishops can meet and do a statement from nowhere. If there are leaders who do public participation daily, they are church leaders. If there are people who know what is on the ground, they are church leaders. 

When you hear them speak, listen to them,” Gachagua said.  Gachagua, who said he has been in politics long enough to know the consequences of abusing religious leaders, warned Ruto’s allies to trade carefully.  The former Mathira lawmaker said just like most arrogant politicians who abused the clergy during the Moi era had their worst endings, the current crop of politicians attacking the men of God are not immune to the same.

 “I want to tell you leaders, stop the arrogance. Those of us who have been here for a while know politics and where it ends. I was in Moi, Kibaki, Uhuru and Ruto governments and the pride you are seeing was there in the 1990s when politicians abused bishops and we know what were the consequences of abusing religious leaders,” he stated. 

Gachagua asked Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders to learn from the president, who has changed his heart and accepted the criticism from the Catholic bishops. “We were disappointed when we saw MPs lecturing and talking down on our Catholic bishops, those are anointed men of God. I am happy that our President William Ruto yesterday admitted that the catholic bishops raised issues and they will listen to them. We must respect them,” the former DP said. 

by  Amos Khaemba