RELIGION AND POLITICS

Religion has over the years played a key role in our country’s politics. It has been one of the key determining factors for our presidential, parliamentary and civic candidates and even today during this forth coming March 4^th general elections, it is quite a good bet and a determining factor for our presidential, gubernatorial, senate, county representative and women representative aspirants just to mention but a few.

The church today has been and always referred to as a group of people governed by similar beliefs and who congregate together to worship a superior, higher being. It is always said that the church should take a neutral stand in matters to do with politics and should not align itself with any candidate in a political field as religion and politics are two diverse things.

 However, in the contemporary society, its surprising to note that the church and church leaders and has taken sides and even fielded and supported candidates in the political arena and even aligned itself along tribal and ethnic camps. We have for example had church leaders like Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Pastor Pius Muiru, Kamlesh Pattni Mutava Musyimi among others express interest in seeking elective posts.

We have also prominently viewed politicians run to church in haste to seek for blessings from preachers and their congregation and some of them align themselves to certain faith and denominations. We have always seen the Vice President, Kalonzo Musyoka, associate himself eith Christians and always say that he is a born again Christian. The Prime Minister too has always said he is a Christian and even been baptised one time by Prophet David Owuor. The two candidates and others have all believed that they are God chosen to run the nation.

I am surprised that the Jubilee alliance presidential candidate, Uhuru Kenyatta who recently talked of “dark powers” misleading him, also states that he is a born again Christian and however much the powers misled him, he is ever in church to seek for God’s blessings. Musalia Mudavadi of the Amani Coalition, Peter Kenneth of the Eagle Alliance, Martha Karua of Narc Kenya and Ole Kiyiapi of the Restore and build Kenya have always attended numerous services every Sunday to seek for blessings too.

President Kibaki known of not so famous in attending services like Moi , lately seems to have changed and now a regular church attendant. This shows how significant the religion is in politics.

However, I tend to believe that our politicians attend services to seek for numbers as they are made aware that 80% of the country’s population are Christians. They are unmistakable since for them to get these votes, then they have to be like them…….!