Wetangula warns church against political partisanship, unfair attacks on Ruto

**Wetangula warns church against political partisanship, unfair attacks on Ruto**

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has called on Kenya's religious institutions to exercise greater discipline in their political commentary, arguing that the moral weight of the church is eroded when clergy engage in partisan attacks without applying equal scrutiny to all sides of the political divide.

Speaking at a public function, Wetangula said that while the church has a legitimate and constitutionally protected role in holding leaders accountable, that role carries an obligation of consistency and fairness. He said selective criticism — targeting one administration or political figure while ignoring comparable conduct by others — diminishes the standing that religious institutions have historically enjoyed in Kenyan public life.

The church occupies a distinctive place in Kenya's civic landscape. Religious leaders played influential roles during the pro-democracy struggles of the 1990s and have routinely been called upon to mediate during political crises, including the post-election violence of 2007 and 2008. That legacy of moral authority, Wetangula argued, must be protected rather than spent on factional politics.

The Speaker's remarks came amid a period of heightened tensions between sections of the clergy and the Ruto administration, with some church leaders voicing sharp criticism of government economic policies and what they describe as a deteriorating cost of living. Others have weighed in on governance concerns, including corruption and public debt.

Wetangula, a co-principal in the Kenya Kwanza coalition that brought Ruto to power, said criticism was welcome but must be grounded and even-handed. He urged faith leaders to return to their foundational role as neutral arbiters of public conscience rather than becoming extensions of any political movement ahead of the 2027 election cycle.