Ole Sapit adamant churches will be built whether politicians withdraw their money or not
Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit of the Anglican Church has doubled down on his stance against political influence in places of worship, emphasizing that the church will be built with or without financial contributions from politicians.
Speaking in an interview with a local media house on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, Ole Sapit addressed concerns regarding the regulation of the church. He stressed that religious leaders should focus on spreading the gospel rather than engaging in political discussions.
He assured believers that worshippers have always built churches, regardless of external donations or harambees.
“There has been talk about regulating the church, but as religious leaders, we should care about preaching the gospel and doing the Lord’s work. We would rather serve the Lord. The church will be built whether politicians withdraw their money (donations and harambees) or not.
“The church will still be built with or without harambees. Worshippers have always built the church, whether we have that money or not,” Ole Sapit said.
The archbishop acknowledged that giving is a biblical principle but discouraged the public display of donations. He emphasized that contributions should be made discreetly, as this aligns with biblical teachings on giving and receiving blessings.
In recent years, churches in Kenya have increasingly become platforms for political leaders to campaign and address congregants. Ole Sapit opposed this trend, stating that places of worship should be reserved for prayer and spiritual nourishment, rather than being turned into venues for political discussions.
“Giving is biblical, and everyone is allowed to give, but we should not make it public by making announcements of how much we have given. Let us do it quietly because that is how God blesses us,” he said.
Adding;
“We want to define worship places as places of worship and prayer. Lately, that space has been claimed by politicians to generate political conversations. Why do we allow the church to be a playground for political rhetoric?”
No pulpit speeches
Earlier, on March 16, 2025, the archbishop banned politicians from addressing congregants in Anglican churches. Under the new directive, political leaders will only be acknowledged by name and permitted to greet the congregation without delivering speeches.
“I want to give directions that from today henceforth, in any Anglican congregation, there will be no opportunity for any political leader to have a speech in the church,” he stated firmly.
He further stated that any engagement between politicians and worshippers must occur outside church premises. According to Ole Sapit, this measure aims to restore the sanctity of worship spaces and ensure that the focus remains on faith and devotion rather than political rhetoric.
“We will mention their names; they will wave their hands if they so wish to speak to the congregants. It will be done outside of the sanctuary, not only today but in all our dioceses and churches,” he added.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), led by Archbishop Maurice Muhatia, recently advised that while church donations were welcome, they should be given discreetly rather than as publicized gestures.
