A storm is brewing just a day after Catholic Archbishop Antony Muheria slammed the government’s obsession with advertisements and excessive publicity of government projects.
A fierce war of words erupted on Saturday February 22, 2025 , with top government officials hitting back at Muheria.
The Archbishop on Friday criticized the government for what he termed as excessive publicity of government projects instead of real projects.
“We have to stop advertising and act, the government seems to be constraining the advertisement of government projects and plans. The government is not an advertising agency, it is an agency that implements actions,that is what we want.
“Let the government be a government that follows rules, systems and builds, not a government that has put all its machinery to advertising,” the archbishop reiterated.
Meanwhile, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi—speaking during the laying of the foundation stone for Chepungus Model School ceremony in Tiaty, Baringo County and handing over a boat to the Lake Baringo Beach Management Unit—both initiatives supported by government, dismissed Muheria’s remarks as baseless and out of touch.
“As a government we have a duty to communicate our development plans, we have a duty to communicate what we are doing and similarly we have a right to communicate what we will do, and we shall do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Tunasaidia mheshimiwa rais kutimiza ahadi zake ambazo alitoa kwa wananchi, na rais alisema tunapofanya maendeleo, tufanye kwenye pembe zote za nchi,” the CS said .
At the same time, Baringo women representative Florence Jematia termed the archbishop’s remarks as unfortunate and out of order, asking him to put his focus on religious matters and stay away from politics.
According to Jematia, everything done by the president is stipulated in the constitution of Kenya.
“It was very unfortunate for such a statement to come from a man like Muheria, wewe kazi yako ni kanisa, kwanza sisi tunakuja kanisa bila kuchelewa Kila jumapili na ukiona viongozi wakifanya kazi, hatufanyi Kazi Kwa kujipendekeza, we are working hard as a government to make sure wananchi get services,” Jematia stated.
Defending the government’s communication strategy, Principal Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Alex Wachira insisted that keeping the public informed was not just important but necessary, lauding President William Ruto’s leadership in the process.
“Wakati tunapokuja hapa kuongea maneno ya miradi, we are not advertising, we are basically listening to the people and delivering to the people,” PS Wachira noted.
Amid the political firestorm, CS Wandayi also made a bold appeal to President Ruto, urging him to continue working with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga despite the setback at the African Union Commission.
“Rais ameamua kwamba Ako na jukumu la kuunganisha nchi kuwa kitu kimoja,vile vile ameendelea kufanya kazi pamoja na Raila odinga,na Raila alipata usaidizi mkubwa kutoka kwa rais William Ruto na sisi hatuwezi sahau Hilo,” said Wandayi.
