The Late Archbishop Raphael Nding’i Mwana Nzeki of the Catholic Church and The Late Bishop David Gitari of the Anglican Church will be remembered as Men of Valor who stood be counted against the oppressive Regime of President.
The diminutive physique of the late Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki could fool many into thinking he was a pushover who could be cowed into silence, but he is a man he stood for social justice and stood against the oppression of the vulnerable in society. At the peak of Moi’s regime, the provincial administration was accused of instigating tribal clashes in Molo that claimed close to 2,000 lives. The humble Bishop visited Molo and boldly told Moi that it was his regime planting the clashes. He spoke against state sponsored arrest, torture and extra judicial killings, he’s a bishop who grabbed headlines for social justice. Ndingi was often referred to as a “diminutive man with a heart of a lion”. He was a man who would not hesitate to roar against any injustices in the society, regardless of the stature of those who perpetrated it.
The Anglican Church had a crop of Social Justice Bishops, led by luminaries like the late Bishop Dr. David Gitari, The late Bishop Dr. Henry Okulu, The late Archbishop Manases Kuria, and the late Alexandar Muge of Eldoret Diocese. All Saints Cathedral is a Stonethrow away from State House, but never did he visit State House to discus ‘Affairs of the Nation’. Moi’s Security trained their guns on him but he never gave in. So bad that one time he sent Kanu Youths to raid the Bishops home in Kirinyaga while the Man of God was present. Gitari wailed but returned to the altar to talk about the injustices!
From the Presbyterian Church we remember Rev. Timothy Njoya, whom we remember being clobbered by Moi’s goons outside Parliament for standing against an oppressive Bill in the National Assembly. Njoya is retired but remains a champion of Social Justice. He has retired a 5-Star General and he’ll remain Forever in our hearts.
When you look back you wonder how this Men of Valour did it! Then Kenya was a One Party State, with no freedom of expression, it was a One-Media Channel under the control of the state, there were no social media channels that we have today. Yet these men of God against Moi the Dictator. In Summary, Kenya then can be compared to the current North Korea! It appears to me that being a clergy then was a true call, nowadays being a clergy has become a career, just like any other.
In the current dispensation the nation is experiencing State sponsored injustices like abduction, extra – judicial killings, just recently we saw Policemen spraying live bullets on unarmed youths protesting in the streets. As a nation, we were shell shocked to see AIPCA Bishops Dining at State House, like nothing happened the previous day! It was an abhorrent site, at that moment I asked the Lord to Resurrect Bishop Ndingi and Bishop Gitari to speak to Ruto just for a day.
Imagine in this era, with the free media, with the freedom of expression, with all the social media platforms, we do not have a Clergy with a tenth the heart of Ndingi, Gitari or Njoya! Todays Clergy are Brokers in the cloth, they go to State House and Come out with Brown envelopes.
They have not condemned the atrocities of the current regime, they have not even bothered to visit the injured in hospital, obviously because there are no brown envelopes in hospitals.
Did I say our Clergy are brokers? In Kenya if you’re involved a political contest, to intimidate your opponent, you hire some Bishops and Pastors to anoint you and prophesy of your victory. Obviosly the ‘annointing’ ceremony is crowned with Brown envelopes.
Kenya will miss you Bishop Ndingi and Bishop Gitari, it is now that we have realized that you were true to your calling. We know President Moi offered you the Brown Envelopes but like Moses, you declined the Opulence of Pharaohs Palace and instead chose to stand with the oppressed Israelites.
