Nairobi News

All Saints Cathedral Provost Reverend Canon Sammy Wainaina has torn into the political class over the rising divisive political temperature currently gaining traction in the country.

Reminiscent of fiery preachers of yesteryears like Reverend Timothy Njoya, Rev Wainaina blasted President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto over their brand of politics ahead of the 2022 General Election.

He warned that the emerging class and tribal politics poses the danger of dividing Kenyans along ethnic and class lines unless swift action is taken to remedy the situation.

In a bare-knuckle sermon on Sunday, the Reverend Canon cited the hustler-dynasty dichotomy propagated by DP Ruto as a ticking time-bomb that could explode any time now.

Rev Wainaina pointed out that already a class war has begun brewing and those labelled ‘hustlers’ living in the poor estates have started ganging up against those described as dynasty.

This, he said, is how anarchy starts and soon organised gangs will spring up demanding ‘taxes’ from the “dynasties” as the anarchy continues taking root in the country.

“This is how anarchy starts. Currently the church is silent on what is going in the country but I will speak even if I am the lone voice,” the Reverend said.

He urged politicians and their supporters to stop demonising and dramatising the inequality that is inherent in Kenya and instead propose how to fight poverty – that admittedly is well entrenched – without destroying the nation.

The Provost said the false claim being peddled by some political leaders that the poor are actually poor because of their neighbours, who are relatively less poor, have stolen from them is fueling violence against the latter.

“With such statements, the perceived hustlers are convinced that they are eligible to rob innocent people (dynasties) who they perceive own property not through hard work but theft. And drawing from this false claim, some ‘hustlers’ now believe that the solution to the quagmire is to destroy the property of their ‘rich’ neighbours! Would this end their miseries? Certainly not,” he noted.

Mr Wainaina lambasted President Kenyatta for failing to live to the presidency being the symbol of national unity with his statement that two communities cannot rule forever and it was time for leaders from other tribes to steer the country.

This, he said, is a recipe for ethnic bigotry and tribalism as it implies that Kenyans can only benefit when one of their own is at the helm of national leadership.

He also criticised the president for publicly admitting that Sh2 billion is stolen each day from the government yet he has done nothing to tame this despite all the state agencies at his disposal.

“Mr President, are you telling Kenyans that you are defeated? Who will then save Kenya from self-destruction if the President cannot? No wonder we have become a nation of thieves where everyone wants to become a politician,” said the Provost.

Mr Wainaina further tore into the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), saying it will not solve Kenyan problems as it is only meant to benefit a few politically connected people at the top.

“We have money for BBI yet we don’t have the same to build schools as our children learn under trees. Counties cannot receive 15 percent of their allocations yet we are being told that they will get 35 percent if BBI is passed. If you can’t give 15 percent, how will you give 35 percent?”

He rallied Kenyans to stand and be part of the solution by countering efforts to destroy the country through misleading and dangerous political divisions being preached in the country.

“People have freedom to campaign but not drilling a hole in the very boat carrying all of us,” he added.