Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has barred the clergy from visiting politicians’ homes.
Speaking on Monday, the Archbishop said the work of the clergy should be in the church, doing evangelism.
“Our Bishops and Clergy should not be part of the so called grassroots and religious leaders who troop to homes of politicians to be given political direction because that is not our work,” Sapit said on KBC.
His remarks came hours after he barred politicians from speaking during a church service in Butere on Sunday, where he presided over the consecration of the first female Bishop of the Anglican Church, Reverend Rose Okeno.
Politicians in attendance included former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula, and Cotu boss Francis Atwoli among others.
“At this time of Covid-19, we want to open up our churches as places for vaccination, our clergy and myself should be mobilising as many people to come to churches as centers of vaccination because we are about saving lives not gathering people to contract more Covid-19,” Sapit said.
Sapit said the church is a place of worship, spiritual nourishment and the sole purpose of gathering on Sundays and any other worship day is to worship God.
He accused politicians of using the opportunity they are given to speak in churches to attack their opponents, which makes the church less conducive for spiritual nourishment.
The Archbishop added that the move to deny politicians present in Butere the chance to speak was intentional, and it will be the case in every church he will visit going forward.
“I went purposely to Butere knowing that I was not going to allow politicians to speak in that occasion and also all other occasions where I personally will be present. I have also urged my Bishops to follow suit in their Dioceses, and we are going to do that for all our clergy,” Ole Sapit said.
He called on other denominations to follow suit, in order to create a conducive environment for worship.
Sapit dismissed reports that Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and their allies walked out of the service in protest after they were denied a chance to speak, saying that Mudavadi communicated of his intended departure because he had another function to attend in Murang’a.
“When Musalia Mudavadi was about to leave he sent word to me that ‘I’ll be leaving because I have a function in Murang’a so when you see me walk, I’m not walking out in protest it is because I’m attending another function in Murang’a that’s why I’ll be leaving a little earlier’. Spare Musalia from whatever blame game that is being said that it was in protest,” He said.
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