By James Okoth
The Nomiya Church has issued a blistering warning to politicians across the political divide, cautioning that the race for power must not be allowed to plunge Kenya into lawlessness, territorial politics and political violence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Nomiya Cardinal Bishop Moses Teddy Oketch said the growing political intolerance was becoming dangerous, warning the State, government politicians and opposition leaders that Kenya cannot afford a repeat of the violence associated with previous election cycles.
“Two terms doesn’t put bread on the table, one term doesn’t put bread on the table,” Bishop Oketch declared, warning politicians against treating political power as a matter of survival.
He said the church was increasingly alarmed by what he described as the creeping culture of political goonism and intolerance, particularly as politicians begin positioning themselves for 2027.
“As a church, we condemn these acts of lawlessness that are cropping into the country. We must condemn it in the highest terms possible. Otherwise, we are going to turn this country into Haiti,” Oketch warned.
The Cardinal Bishop said the rule of law must never be sacrificed to protect the interests of a handful of politicians, insisting that Kenya belongs to all its citizens.
“We cannot accept a country where the rule of law is tempered with in favour of a few politicians,” he said.
He further rejected the emergence of political “territories” where individuals or groups attempt to determine who can enter particular regions and who is allowed to campaign there.
“We cannot have a country where people have their territories and where people decide who comes in and who doesn’t come in,” he said.
‘Nyanza is not anyone’s political property’
Bishop Oketch’s remarks carry particular weight in the wake of growing political tensions in parts of Nyanza, with the church leadership warning against turning the region into a political no-go zone.
He said every politician must be allowed to traverse the country and sell their political agenda, provided they respect the law and the rights of other citizens.
“We are going into a political season where people can go where they want and say what they have, provided that they don’t infringe on other people’s rights,” he said.
The church, he added, was “not happy, especially in the Luo community,” over the direction political competition was taking.
He specifically condemned the confrontation witnessed in Awendo, saying political differences should never degenerate into physical confrontations.
“It is not right to challenge your opponent physically. What happened in Awendo is not right,” Oketch said.
He warned that normalising political violence at the grassroots could have devastating consequences as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.
Warning to both State and opposition
The Cardinal Bishop’s message was not directed at the opposition alone.
He warned politicians inside government and those seeking power from outside government that Kenyans must not be sacrificed on the altar of political ambition.
“As a church, we say no to goonism. We say no to lawlessness. We say no to polarization of this country,” he declared.
He also rejected attempts by political actors to “own” territories, insisting that Nyanza must remain open to every Kenyan politician who wants to campaign peacefully.
“We say no to people who want to own territories. Everyone is free to come to Nyanza so that they come and campaign.”
With political temperatures expected to rise significantly as 2027 approaches, Oketch called for an urgent national dialogue bringing together competing political interests and other stakeholders.
He said such a dialogue must be broad and inclusive, giving Kenyans an opportunity to confront the growing political divisions before they spiral beyond control.
“A national dialogue is important and must be inclusive so that we come out and reason together.”
The church’s warning effectively places all political players on notice: no presidential ambition, gubernatorial bid, parliamentary seat or party contest should be allowed to become a justification for violence, intimidation or the occupation of political “territories.”
For Nomiya Church, the message ahead of 2027 is stark, “political power is temporary, but the country belongs to everyone!”
