A bitter war has erupted between religious leaders in Kisumu County and Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o over planned crackdown on noisy churches. Furious religious leaders who are concerned that the crackdown will affect their church businesses have ganged up against the acting city manager Abala Wanga, whom they accuse of being behind the unpopular plan to close down targeted churches.
But instead of fighting the junior officer, church leaders have expressed their bitterness with governor Anyang Nyong’o whom they claim has turned his back on them yet they stood with him at the hour of need. They argue that they played pivotal spiritual roles when the governor was critically sick in the US where he went for advanced treatment.
Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth of Catholic Church, Bishop Mwai Abiero of ACK and Ogonyo Ngede of Power of Jesus organized special prayers for Nyong’o at a time most of his friends and closer allies in the political circles had anticipated his death.
Nyongo’s deputy, Dr. Mathew Owilli was already hyped and in full mood to take over the leadership of Kisumu County after speculations were rife that the governor’s health had seriously deteriorated that he could not make it.
Owili’s actions prompted the then Kisumu Senator Fred Outa and former Speaker Onyango Oloo to warn him to act responsibly while Nyong’o was away.
When Nyong’o returned from his treatment that lasted two months, he opened war against his deputy and other Kisumu based politicians who were taking advantage of his health even before the 2022 succession politics.
The feud between Prof. Nyong’o and Dr. Owili was later settled by ODM leader Raila Odinga who negotiated a successful truce between before the last general elections. They two are still working together but trust levels remain seriously low.
The bishop who have threatened to curse Governor Nyong’o have directed him to stop his acting City manager from profiling them for undertaking the work of God as the Church plays an important role in development, peace, governance and well-being of the people.
Bishop Ngede who prayed for Nyong’o during his sickness led a group of clergymen that stormed the governor’s office and forced him to publicly denounce Wanga’s order which they claim is frustrating churches.
Local bar owners have also joined the raging war between Wanga and the churches following a similar order that was issued to them over noise pollution.
Mr. Wanga issued the notice to over 20 popular entertainment joints in Kisumu citing complaints about noise by residents in recent months but local pubs have accused him of pocketing hefty bribes from former Busia governor Sospeter Ojamoong who recently opened a new club in Kisumu.
Kenyan Bullentin has established that the management of Ojamoong’s club which operates in the city center is pushing Wanga’s office to shut down neighboring clubs over noise pollution as away of eliminating competition.
The acting City Manager also targeted all the clubs at the Lakeside city but left out Bistro Wines and Spirits, a cheap liquor joint which is run by his wife, Jaber, and operates in the center of three estates and two primary schools.
Governor Nyong’os ban on crusades caused a major uproar but only atheists came out in public to laud the governor for the move which they said will help in curbing noise pollution. Mr Harrison Mumia, president Atheists in Kenya Society stated that noise emitted from churches is one of the major causes of noise pollution in Kenya.
