A burial ceremony in Seme, Kisumu County on Saturday turned into a platform for a sharp rebuke directed at Kenya political class, after Anglican Bishop Charles Ong’injo shifted attention from mourning rituals to what he described as misplaced public leadership priorities during a service held for Mzee Eliud Nyikal Okaka, father of Seme Member of Parliament James Nyikal.
The gathering brought together clergy, family members, and political leaders from across the region, with the service proceeding in a solemn tone until the bishop took the stage and redirected focus toward governance questions, education delivery, and economic pressure points affecting households across the country.
During his address, criticism of elected leaders present at the funeral centred on political messaging and rivalry expressions that have recently circulated in public rallies, specifically referring to slogans such as “Wantam” and “Tutam”, which he said were receiving more attention than service delivery obligations tied to public office.
“I am pleading with our members of parliament: stop nonsensical political sloganeering. Address the issues of the people. People are suffering,” Bishop Ong’injo said.
He said leadership attention needed to return to education systems, healthcare delivery, and livelihood stability, noting that citizens were experiencing hardship while public discourse remained dominated by political competition language rather than service outcomes.
Calls were also made for a shift in parliamentary focus toward practical governance responsibilities, with emphasis placed on oversight duties as a central function of Members of Parliament, particularly in ensuring that allocated public funds reach intended development projects without diversion or delay.
Attention was also drawn to education sector operations in Kisumu and Siaya counties, where frequent transfers of school administrators were described as a pattern of movement lacking clear justification and linked to disruption in learning institutions and administrative continuity.
“Today you will tell us about wantam and tutam. Even as you tell us that, tell us what is going to happen to our children who are in crisis in schools. Even as you say that, tell us about the health crisis we have faced as a country. I talk with passion about education because it is what this Mzee stood for,” he said.
Claims were also made that some school administrators were required to make payments in order to secure transfers to preferred schools, a situation described as creating inequality within education management structures and placing financial burden on educators seeking placement changes.
“Transfers of teachers in schools. Last week, in Kisumu Central, primary school head teachers were transferred left, right and centre without a justifiable cause. And do you know some primary school head teachers are paying money to go to good schools? Siaya County has had high school principal transfers, and if you look at them, they are not genuine,” he said.
Economic conditions also formed part of the address, with focus placed on fuel and energy pricing and questions raised over explanations previously given for increased fuel costs when compared with international benchmarks.
“When fuel prices went up, we were told our fuel is higher because we are more developed than our neighbours. The last time I checked, fuel prices in the USA are almost half what we are paying here. So the USA is not developed like us?” he said.
He also referred to past public commitments regarding household energy costs, particularly cooking gas pricing, stating that expectations of reduced costs had not materialised and that households were still experiencing upward pressure on basic energy expenditure.
“We forget very fast. There was a time we were told our mothers would no longer cook using firewood. That gas will reduce to Ksh500. The last time I checked, it increased by over Ksh500,” he said.
A Bishop’s National Rebuke:
Bishop Ong’injo tears into government and legislators
Ong’injo: Our MPs, stop nonsensical political sloganeering
Ong’injo: Stop being a choir, do your oversight job
Ong’injo: Figures don’t lie, universities are underfunded
Ong’injo: Government… pic.twitter.com/srjR19BBcw
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) May 2, 2026
Attention during the service was briefly disrupted when a group of individuals moved toward the front of the venue chanting political slogans, an incident that interrupted proceedings and shifted the atmosphere of the ceremony away from its original purpose.
The chants began after Kisumu West Member of Parliament Rosa Buyu addressed mourners, prompting attempts by local leaders to restore order, although the interruptions continued and affected subsequent contributions from speakers scheduled to address the gathering.
Kisumu Governor James Orengo made efforts to intervene during the disruption but was unable to restore calm, and several leaders were unable to proceed with their planned remarks as the situation remained unsettled within the venue.
Later, Governor Gladys Wanga addressed the gathering and called for support toward ongoing development initiatives within the region, while also urging political unity ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle and referencing government programmes under implementation.
Governor Orengo did not deliver his remarks at the funeral, with reports indicating that he left the venue before speaking after the disruption prevented continuation of the scheduled programme.
The ceremony closed under a subdued atmosphere, with attention shifting from the burial proceedings to the broader political tensions that had surfaced during the service, particularly after the bishop remarks and the subsequent interruption by slogan chanting groups.
