Blow to Kalonzo as churches oppose his endorsement for 2022

Church leaders from Lower Eastern Kenya have criticised the “Koma declaration” that saw Ukambani leaders, professionals and elders vow to support Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka's candidature in the 2022 presidential race.

Early this month, Kalonzo met with several leaders in Machakos where he was endorsed to vie for the presidency in 2022.

On Thursday, church leaders drawn from different denominations converged in Nairobi where they said the church as an institution was not party to the declaration which they said was ill-timed.

Led by Archbishop Arthur Kitonga, the president of Association of Evangelicals in Eastern Africa, preachers said the meeting was not concerned about the development in the region and was rather aimed at promoting interests of individuals.

The 20 clergy leaders criticised "meetings aimed at detaching the community from the government", saying they will conduct a different meeting next month to lead the people from the region in charting the future of the region’s economy.

“The meeting was only for political interests. There were no concerns on development and that is its undoing,” said Kitonga who was flanked by other leaders.

Kitonga said the people in Lower Eastern were in need of Government support, adding that such meetings by politicians were denying the Central Government the commitment to help them.

“Our people are being swept by floods and as a result people need help for food and other things. How can we ask the state to step in when our leaders are pushing conflicting interests?” posed Kitonga.

In their joint message read by clergy Secretary General Joel Nzomo, they condemned a section of politicians he did not mention, saying such politicians were misleading Kenyans yet they have nothing to offer.

“Some have been in power for many years and they have nothing substantial to show. We say enough is enough,” said Nzomo.