Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi has asked church leaders to continue preaching unity among Kenyans for the sake of attaining development in the country.
Matiang’i said currently some leaders are taking advantage of every other available opportunity including church podiums to spread hatred and create animosity among people.
He regretted that in the recent past, chaos and disturbances have been witnessed during political forums among other social gatherings, warning that if the trend remains unchecked, it may derail implementation of development projects.
The CS was speaking Friday at the Catholic Diocese of Murang’a when he led three other cabinet secretaries to grace Golden Jubilee celebrations to mark 50 years of service of retired Archbishop Peter Kairu.
He said currently the country cannot afford volatility saying peace and unity is needed to revive the economy which was greatly affected by covid-19 pandemic.
“The church should not be used as a platform to divide our people. This time round, elective politics have started earlier than usual and this may lead to unnecessary volatility which may affect growth of our economy.
Of late, we have witnessed chaos in political gatherings, with some people shouting at each other to bring them down. Others are being paid to walk out of funerals and such like uncouth behaviors, all these should be tamed to allow our economy recover from covid-19 impact,” added Matiangi.
The country, he said, has now started to show signs of recovery, but untamed political skirmishes may reverse the gains.
“I urge the political leaders to think about our country and avoid utterances and actions which may affect our stability. The country needs peace and unity so as to attain development goals,” reiterated the CS.
He observed that the church is the last refuge, thus the clergy should always stand for the truth and not allow the pulpit to be used as venues to spread hatred.
The CS said the church should be impartial and not engage in partisan politics, but instead minister to all people regardless of their political affiliations.
“That way, the church will be strong in condemning evils being perpetuated countrywide by errant politicians,” he added.
Matiangi lauded the catholic church for its enormous support in various key sectors including education and in advocating for peaceful co-existence.
On his part, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe hailed the church leadership for its role in advising government officers and holding the country together.
Kagwe said the clergy should continue pinpointing areas where the government is failing so that remedial measures are taken on time to avoid any form of political and socio-economic instability.
Other CSs who accompanied Matiangi included Joe Mucheru (ICT), James Macharia (Transport) among other government officials.
Several elected leaders from Murang’a led by county women representative Sabina Chege also attended the occasion held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.
Retired Archbishop Kairu was hailed for his tremendous efforts in supporting the growth of education in various catholic dioceses that he served.
He said as religious leaders they will continue to advocate for unity saying the church cannot keep quiet when there was a problem facing the nation.
by Bernard Munyao
