Catholic Diocese Bans Politicians From Church Pulpits
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Wote Catholic Diocese Bars Politicians From Addressing Congregations

September 2026

Bishop Simon Peter Kamomoe of the Catholic Diocese of Wote has barred politicians from addressing worshippers during Mass or any other liturgical service, in a pastoral directive issued at the diocese this week. The move is meant to keep campaign politics out of the pews as Kenya heads towards the 2027 General Election, the diocese said in a statement dated Tuesday, August 18.

Bishop Kamomoe, who leads a diocese that is only three years old, said the directive is meant to protect unity and the rule of law among the faithful regardless of tribe or political leaning. He said politicians remain free to attend Holy Mass as ordinary members of the congregation, so long as they come to worship rather than campaign.

What The Directive Bans

The rule is specific. Politicians and political representatives may not address the congregation during or after Mass, or during any liturgical service, whether it happens inside or outside a church building. That closes a loophole some leaders have used in the past, where they were invited to greet worshippers at the end of a service and used the moment to campaign instead.

Kamomoe framed the ban as an effort to keep the church a place of “communion” rather than contest, asking political leaders to take part with “respect and solemnity” when they do attend. He also told priests and other pastoral agents in the diocese to stay neutral and serve every worshipper equally, whatever their political leaning.

Not The First Diocese

Wote is not acting alone. Days earlier, Bishop Peter Kimani of the Diocese of Embu issued a nearly identical order, telling politicians to attend Mass as ordinary worshippers rather than use church platforms for political interests. That directive also bars political speeches during or after Mass and took effect immediately across the Embu diocese.

The Kenya Times’ report on the Embu order notes this concern is not new for the church: back in 2016, then-Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru of Embu banned politicians from using the pulpit to court voters ahead of an earlier election cycle. The pattern tends to resurface every time a general election draws near.

Churches As Campaign Stops

The renewed rules reflect how central churches have become to Kenyan campaign politics as 2027 approaches. Opposition figures Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka attended Mass together at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Kibabii, Bungoma County, while President William Ruto worshipped the same Sunday at a Seventh-day Adventist church in Kajiado County, allAfrica’s coverage of the visits reported.

Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has made a similar point from his own pulpit, insisting no politician gets special treatment. Speaking in Nyeri County, he said the restrictions bind everyone, adding that even President Ruto is not exempt from the rules meant to protect the sanctity of worship.

Why It Matters Now

None of this happens in a vacuum. With political realignments already under way and party coalitions forming ahead of 2027, church services have become one of the few settings where rival politicians appear in the same room without a stage-managed confrontation. Bishops appear keen to stop that proximity turning into a platform.

Enforcement is the open question. Past bans by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops have not always stopped politicians from being invited to greet congregations, and it is unclear whether individual parish priests within the Wote diocese will consistently turn leaders away from the microphone once they are standing in the church. That test will likely come the next time a prominent politician shows up at Sunday Mass in Makueni County looking for a moment to speak.

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