Mr Arati, who is eyeing the Kisii County governor’s seat in the 2022 General Election, told hundreds of mourners in Nyaribari Chache Constituency that his competitors had turned desperate and were using the church to fight him.
He pleaded with his political opponents to stop making his name the point of reference in all their debates and rallies.
“On that particular day, I had sat down quietly as other leaders engaged in squabbles. I am innocent, I did not fight in church and I am not fighting with the church. That propaganda that you are propagating is wrong, come with an agenda, sell it to the electorate and leave me alone,” Mr Arati told his competitors whom he accused of working in cahoots with the church leaders.
The Dagoretti North lawmaker told his competitors that some of them are the age of his grandfather but they are busy fighting him instead of mentoring those who would be their ‘grandchildren’.
“Let your agenda not be Simba Arati. Have an agenda on how you will improve the lives of Kisii County residents. I am pleading with you, bring your agenda and leave it to the electorate to decide,” said Mr Arati.
While saying that he is not a coward and that his home place is in Kisii, Bobasi constituency, the lawmaker promised a gruelling fight to his competitors, noting that many of them had ganged up to belittle him.
“Don’t try the blackmail. Don’t try the propaganda. We are not ready; you cannot pull us to that line! We will run away from that. We want to tell Kenyans and Abagusii the agenda we have for them and how we will finish the stalled projects in our county,” said Mr Arati.
Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka, who is seeking the Kisii senatorial seat and has been campaigning alongside Mr Arati, said he will continue supporting the Dagoretti North lawmaker and no amount of insults will deter his support for youthful politicians.
“There are no those who are more justified than others to fight for the county seats. Let us all place our agenda to the electorates and leave them to decide on the ballot,” said Mr Onyonka.
He asked the elderly leaders from the county to respect the youthful ones, saying times have changed and Kisii needs leaders with a vision.
“I am beseeching the county leaders who are set to retire from politics to do so in peace,” said Mr Onyonka.
Mr Arati and Onyonka have in the last four months launched massive campaigns in Kisii, seeking to neutralise the popularity of the county’s top leadership in the region’s politics.
Kisii Governor James Ongwae, his deputy Joash Maangi, Senator Prof Sam Ongeri and Woman Rep Janet Ong’era have lately launched a scathing attacks on Mr Arati and Mr Onyonka and are keen to have the two miss on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) tickets.
Prof Ongeri, 83, launched his governorship bid for Kisii County on Friday, in his Gesusu home in Nyaribari Masaba Constituency, an event that was attended by Governor Ongwae and his deputy Maangi.
Last week, the Catholic Diocese of Kisii leadership returned a Sh100,000 contribution they had received from the Dagoretti North MP.
Though Mr Arati said he is yet to receive the money, he described the move as unfortunate, noting that it is wrong for the church to play politics.
Speaking during a funeral in Kisii County this week, Catholic Bishop Joseph Mairura warned politicians to watch their behaviour in church so as not to offend God.
Bishop Mairura, without mentioning names, said that he was offended by one politician whom he accused of attempting to interfere with a church programme officiated by the Representative of the Pope in Kenya.
''Let me warn our politicians that you cannot succeed by fighting God and the church, those who do that stand cursed,'' said Mairura.
A senior priest of the Catholic Church who did not want to be mentioned confirmed to Nation.Africa that they had refunded Mr Arati's contribution.
The priest who holds a senior position in the church said that the Catholic Church cannot accept any political leader showing disrespect during its events.
Bobasi MP Innocent Obiri told journalists that Mr Arati was forced to walk out of the church when he was denied a chance to address the congregation. He later addressed his supporters outside the church.
"I was instructed to allow only two specific members to speak. My colleague, Arati, started protesting why I did not allow him to speak," said Mr Obiri.
