Ong'injo tells off Nyanza over Ruto praises

He cuts the figure of a no-nonsense disciplinarian and a man of faith. But Maseno South Diocese Bishop Charles Ong’injo is no ordinary cleric.

Beneath the Bible he often clutches to his chest simmers a fiery passion for justice — a restless volcano against all he deems unjust.

And he is unfraid to air them, regardless of the consequences. Critics believe he is a polarising figure, but a section of Kenyans believe he is among the few remaining voices of reason against the government’s mischief and view him as a reincarnation of the late bishop Henry Okulu, a key voice during the country’s fight for multi-party democracy.

For the better part of his career at the pulpit, he has been a straight talker and a firm believer that absolute power demoralises many. For instance, when he was consecrated as a bishop in 2018, he trained his religious guns on leaders he claimed were operating on a blank cheque, blocking all accountability and encouraging selfish pursuits.

At the time, Bishop Ong’injo attributed the lack of development across the country to the greed of leaders to remain in power and pursue self-serving interests.

His latest tirade was aimed at President William Ruto and his officials. At the weekend, Bishop Ong’injo puzzled many when he claimed that Nyanza was getting a raw deal from his administration.

To Kisumu residents and to his congregants, the hard-hitting summons are not a surprise. He has been a big critic of the government’s excesses.

Bishop Ong’injo, who was giving a sermon during the requiem mass of the late Hannington Raburu Juma at St Stephen’s Anglican in Milimani, Kisumu, noted that the community had little to show since its inclusion in government.

Worship leaders

He criticised those from Nyanza who are supporting the government and claimed they had turned into praise and worship leaders and are celebrating positions instead of working for the people.

“We only have two, and we cannot sleep because there is too much noise, since we are in the government. What are you delivering now that you are there? You have become a choir and chorus,” he said.

He further accused President William Ruto of hoodwinking the community.

“This is not the first time the Nyanza people have occupied positions in the Cabinet. During the years of the late Aloo Aringo and Odongo Omamo, and others who were occupying those positions, we had over six Cabinet positions. But today, we hear about this Cabinet issue every other day, that now Luos are in a government that is helping them, yet our people are not benefiting from those positions,” he said. He also criticised President Ruto’s move to treat the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to a state funeral, claiming that this should not make the community forget the ills his government has done them.

“When you die and you are given a state funeral, everyone follows you because you have been given a state funeral. You are not wise, our people,” he warned.

He recalled that the Nyanza community had been told that President Ruto rigged himself to power with the same leaders who were now supporting him.

“Remember, we were told that President Ruto rigged himself to that office. What has changed? What happened to the votes that were stolen?” he questioned.

In the region, among those working in Ruto’s Cabinet are John Mbadi (Treasury CS) and Opiyo Wandayi (CS for Energy).

He accused President Ruto’s government of killing more Kenyans than previous governments.

“If people are not dying of stress, people are being abducted and cannot be found, high cost of living. Our people have been hoodwinked and are now singing songs we don’t understand,” he said.

His comments, however, attracted an avalanche of response from a section of Kenyans and a tirade of abuse from the president’s allies. While others claimed he had done the right thing by speaking up against the government’s ‘hoodwinking’ initiatives, others claimed he was stirring divisions and pushing an agenda against the government.

In an elaborate statement, lawyer Joshua Nyamori claimed the bishop was dishonest with his criticisms. He claimed the bishop has not been able to clean the rot within the church, where corruption also thrives.

“Bishop Ong’injo has turned the altar into a theater of politics,” he said.

Moments after Ong’injo’s bare-knuckle attack on the government, the president’s allies and pro-government bloggers posted the list of projects the president is implementing in Nyanza region as well as the list of government officials he has appointed in his administration.

When he was consecrated in 2018, bishop Ong’injo did not mince his words. He said accountability for leaders working in public offices was a priority.

At the time, he said all those holding public offices must account for every penny disbursed to them.

“One of the most serious factors affecting development in the counties and Kenya is the greed of leaders to remain in power forever and failing to deliver diligent services to the people,” he said.