In what is now a clear change of strategy, Deputy President William Ruto seems to have anchored his 2022 campaigns in churches, a shift from traditional open market campaigns.
For months now, Dr Ruto, a born again Christian, has visited hundreds of churches across all religions and denominations, often contributing huge sums of money.
On Saturday, Dr Ruto was in a church fundraiser at Maralal, and this has been a routine for months now. Insiders say that every Wednesday, he fasts along with his staff.
His press secretary Emmanuel Talam said the staff has had to adjust to the new way of doing things.“It is a personal-family Christian ritual. As staff we respect it. It also strengthens those of us who join in the fast,” he said.
Majority Whip in the National Assembly Ben Washiali, a staunch Ruto ally, says they plan to visit every church in the country before the 2022 General Election.
“We will continue visiting to pray with them for the task ahead of us is not easy except if God goes with us. We have built many churches and mosques in the process,” the lawmaker from Mumias East said Saturday.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, a key cog in the DP’s strategy team once told this publication that the DP fasts every Wednesday as he believes that the journey he has embarked on not only requires physical and financial commitment but also divine intervention.
“Leadership comes from God and even as you go convincing people to elect you, you want to find favour in his eyes as well. They (Wednesdays) remain days of prayer and reflection,” he said.
But despite shifting his base to churches, Dr Ruto has been facing opposition, with Raila Odinga accusing churches of accepting 'stolen' money.
So thorny has been the matter that ACK Archbishop Jackson Sapit warned Bishops against accepting huge donations to churches by politicians.
“Whereas we acknowledge the role the harambee spirit has played in the development of our society, the Anglican church is evaluating holding of fundraisers in their sanctuaries by politicians, the Christians including politicians are expected to worship God with their resources quietly as the Bible teaches, the bishop and the Christians should hold fundraisers outside church buildings,” Bishop Sapit said in April.