Politicians can no longer use Catholic churches as campaign stages. The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) announced the ban on Thursday. It spoke at a press conference at the Cardinal John Njue Pastoral Centre in Embu. The rule applies to every Catholic church in the country, and priests must enforce it strictly.
"We are direct that there shall not be any political address given in any of our Catholic churches in any part of our country," Nyeri Archbishop Anthony Muheria said, according to The Star and Capital FM. He said the bishops had told all priests to implement the position "with the diligence and seriousness it deserves."
The bishops said they regretted a growing number of incidents in which politicians tried to turn churches into campaign platforms. Muheria said people from rival parties come to church to find inner peace. They come as worshippers, not as party members, he said. The Church does not treat worshippers differently because of their politics or social status, he added. Politicians can still reach voters through the media, barazas and roadside rallies.
The bishops also urged Kenyans to judge current leaders on their record and vote carefully. "Vote wisely. It is a great opportunity to exercise our individual and collective right to elect leaders who will deliver on their mandate," Muheria said. The bishops told voters not to let campaign noise cloud their judgement.
The statement went beyond the church ban. According to Kenyans.co.ke, the bishops opposed proposals to ban livestreaming of presidential vote tallies. They urged Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula to reject divisive legislation. The Eastleigh Voice reported that they challenged the IEBC to deliver free, fair, transparent and credible elections. They also told the commission to resist interference from politicians. The Judiciary, they said, should handle electoral disputes impartially.
According to The Eastleigh Voice, the bishops raised concern over reported abductions, enforced disappearances and harassment of civil society groups, journalists and human rights defenders. They alleged that some incidents involved armed people working with police officers. They also questioned six Education Bills before the National Assembly and said they had already submitted their views.
The bishops urged young people to get national ID cards and register as voters. They warned the youth against politicians who might pay them to take part in violence. They also asked aspirants to avoid personal attacks and commit to peaceful campaigns. The official campaign period has not yet started, they noted.