A prayer rally organised by church leaders from Murang'a County will still go on as planned despite viciously divisions orchastrated by politicians, a section of church leaders have maintained.
Bishop Stephen Maina of Full Time Winners Gospel Church said the steering committee is almost through with planning for the rally, even after withdrawal of ACK and Catholic bishops.
“It would be wrong and misinforming to state that the church is divided. We’re only having a difference of opinion, but we’re one church. You may see the bishops at the prayer rally,” he told the Nation on phone.
Already, both Catholic and ACK church leaders have withdrawn from the organising committee, with politicians from the region insisting that the church plots to endorse DP Ruto as Mt Kenya's favourite presidential candidate.
Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi dismissed the rally, saying that church leaders were discriminating certain politicians in their invitations. He insisted that it's a political rally in the name of prayers.
“This is political rally aimed at campaigning for the Deputy President. I should have been invited because I’m also a member of the community in Murang’a,” he said.
The rally was supposed to take place on April 27th but was postponed to allow DP Ruto attend funeral service of Jonathan Moi. However, internal divisions among the church members are said to have largely contributed.
DP Ruto has visited Murang'a a couple times and has managed to build his political base. But a section of politicians allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta have often accused him of using the church to perpetuate his 2022 presidential campaigns.
“We will have over 150 elected leaders attending the event, but you can take this to the bank, no politician will address the prayer rally and the programme, which I will share with you later, will only be run by the church leaders,” Mr Maina said.