Deputy President William Ruto has vowed to safeguard the freedom of worship by protecting religious institutions and ensuring more churches are registered.
The United Democratic Alliance presidential candidate also dismissed recent opinion polls that placed his main challenger Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party ahead of him in the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta .
Dr Ruto, who was speaking during a prayer event organised by the Association of Pentecostal and Evangelical Clergy of Kenya at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi yesterday, hailed the role that the Church has played in the society and thanked the clergy for making their stand known on the August 9 polls.
“Together with my running mate, we will do everything possible to keep this country a God-fearing nation. We commit that there will be no church that will be closed during our watch and we shall get rid of hindrances for the registration of churches,” Dr Ruto said.
The DP, who is keen to win the support of the Church in his presidential bid, touted his manifesto that he said seeks to change the face of the country and urged religious leaders to pray for him.
“We are humbled that you as the clergy have gathered here to make your stand known on the future of this country.”
“We request you to pray for our manifesto so that it can find favour in the face of God. It has been a tough journey but, through your prayers, we are grateful for where we have reached,” he said.
“From enjoying favourable media coverage to always working with opinion polls to place yourself ahead of everyone else, I want to tell you that the true poll will be on the ninth of August when I will defeat them,” he said.
Ms Dorcas Gachagua , who is the wife of Dr Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua and the organiser of the prayer event, drummed support for the pair to take on the leadership mantle from President Kenyatta.
“Our nation has gone through a lot of pressure and it is high time that we choose leaders who will place this country on the right path. Come the ninth of August, we will have a leader who reveres God and who will unite the country,” she said.
While addressing a series of campaigns after the prayer event in Nairobi, Mr Gachagua accused the President of using state resources to campaign for Mr Odinga.
“The people of Kenya are clever and they will reject Raila Odinga regardless of the support that he has received from the deep state. We have defeated the team in a series of by-elections and we shall again defeat them come August 9,” Mr Gachagua said.
Dr Ruto is banking on the support of the Church in his presidential bid and has held several meetings with different church leaders across the country.
In a recent meeting that was held at Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika’s home in Nakuru County, the DP received an endorsement from over 2,000 church leaders.
