ACK church warns against use of human blood to capture political power

ACK bishop Jackson Ole Sapit. [File, Standard]

The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) bishop Jackson Ole Sapit has warned political leaders against the use of human blood to capture political power in the 2027 General election.

Sapit expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which people had lost their lives during political campaigns.

The latest incident occurred in Embu County where two people died while six vehicles were torched on Saturday. The violence occurred during Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's rally.

The incident followed another one in Homa Bay County where more than two people died, and six vehicles were torched during the Linda Mwananchi movement rally more than three weeks ago.

Speaking in Homa Bay Town when he presided over a thanksgiving ceremony for ACK Southern Nyanza Diocese, Sapit hit out at political leaders for fuelling violence in Kenya before the next year's polls.

He admonished politicians for inciting goons to cause chaos which led to loss of lives.

The Bishop said political positions should not be sought through bloodshed. He said the ongoing trend of killing Kenyans because of politics should stop.

"I want to tell our leaders to stop looking for political posts with bloodshed. No Kenyan should be killed because of someone's quest for political power," Sapit said.

Sapit, who was accompanied by the ACK Southern Nyanza Bishop Simon Onyango, said some political leaders perpetrate violence as if there will be doomsday in Kenya immediately after the next general election.

He told everyone vying for an elective post to think about the existence of Kenya after the next general election.

"I urge politicians to remember that Kenya will still exist after the general election and all of us will still need it. Let us handle campaigns in a manner that does not destroy anything in our country," he added.

He told Kenyans to embrace civility in handling issues to avoid lawlessness.

The Bishop said all Kenyans should respect the rule of law to seek justice in the right manner.

Sapit told youth to shun blood money given to them by politicians who hire them to perpetrate mayhem in political rallies.