Nairobi, Kenya, March 16 — Anglican Church Of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has barred Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja from speaking during a service at St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
Speaking to congregants at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, ACK Diocese of Nairobi, during the consecration and enthronement of Ven. Canon Jonathan Kabiru as the 3rd Bishop of the ACK Nairobi Diocese at ACK St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Makadara, Sapit asked the politicians to address the congregants outside the church premises.
“There will be no opportunity for any political leader to have a speech in the church. We will mention their names, they will wave their hands, if they so wish to speak to the congregants. It will be done outside of the sanctuary,” said Sapit.
Further, Sapit said that the ban will not only apply today but also on the coming Sundays and will apply in all Anglican dioceses and its churches.
The former Deputy President was accompanied by several leaders including former Member of Parliament of Nyeri Town Ngunjiri Wambugu.
This is not the first time the Anglican Archbishop has banned politicians from speaking in churches. On September 12, 2021, in the run-up to the 2022 general elections, when politicians were politicking in churches, Sapit instructed all Anglican churches to prohibit politicians from speaking at pulpits.
At the time he issued the ban, he was presiding over the consecration of Rev. Rose Okeno as the Bishop of the Butere Diocese at Butere Girls Secondary School in Kakamega County, where the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the then ANC Party leader Musalia Mudavadi were invited as guests.
He did not allow the former Prime Minister and ANC Party leader to address the congregants who attended the consecration ceremony.
The Catholic Church have also in the past ban politicians from politicking in churches.
On September 15 2021, a group of catholic bishops led by Catholic Archbishop of Mombasa Archdiocese Martin Kivuva banned politicians from speaking in their churches during mass.
