Misuse of religious images to advance political discourse

John Mbiti philosophized that Africans are notoriously religious. Official statistics say Kenya is 84% Christians, about 9% Muslim and the remainder are Hindu, Buddhist, African Indigenous Religions, animists and atheists.  As such, religion is a major socialization factor in Kenya. Our social, economic and political lives are replete with influences from our religious backgrounds.  Yet, religion has failed in socializing Kenyans with values of brotherhood, peace, love, and unity.

In politics, Christian religious overtones have been used to advance the political party's agenda.  Since retired President Moi’s studious attempt to cultivate an image of a God-fearing leader, Kenyan political activities have employed the use of Christian songs and biblical narratives to persuade the common folk.

President Moi’s (retired) sunset years were punctuated by Christian songs turned political protest chants. President Kibaki maintained a dignified aloofness giving the impression of religion as irrational. His rival, Raila Odinga electrified the masses using the narrative of Moses and the Promised Land to drive his second liberation agenda.

In 2013, the UhuRuto duo charmed Christians using prayer rallies as political campaign tools creating an impression of divine approval. That image run through President Uhuru Kenyatta’s first term as Christian leaders enthusiastically latched onto this narrative.  Political leaders have become quasi-spiritual leaders firmly exploiting the bible as a Machiavellian tool.

In 2017, Raila Odinga’s political style upgraded his Mosaic narrative to Joshua and the conquest of Canaan.  He launched his presidential campaign with a prayer at Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall and baptized himself Joshua. As a liberator, Canaan was a powerful symbol for the 3^rd liberation. It was for the taking. That message sunk deep into the psyche of all Kenyans. The conquest of Canaan narrative is now an idiom in Kenyan social life, from serious boardroom talk, bar banter to social media memes. Its power to galvanize his supporters has left a deep imprint and fired hope. His advisors understood the African understanding that is shaped, socialized and educated through stories and narratives. His rival duo was not asleep either. They continued with the charm.  The end result is a political, religious and social divide that has deepened.  Where religion had a unifying value, it is now divisive. Both political formations now control their various Christian factions. These opposing teams do not seem to have any theological advisors who would have helped to present the religious angle realistically. Politicians now recognize the propaganda value of the bible.

A whole generation is emerging in Kenya for whom independence, post-independence, and second liberation politics is historical stuff. These ‘liberation’ ideals don’t mean anything in their new globalized, digital world. But strong, biblical narratives are vehicles of conveying political ideas and ideology. In the next general election, the first millennials will vote. Our geriatric leaders are being disconnected from this new pool of voters.  But use of religious propaganda is able to make cross this divide.

It is true that social, economic, political/ethnic divisions in Kenya have been growing. But the Church was always a powerful and unifying factor in Kenya.  Unfortunately, it has ceded it’s high moral ground and is being co-opted into the partisan political mainstream. Christian leaders have been foolishly caught up in a dazzling display of power and influence and abandoned their social responsibility.  As a result, though they plead for dialogue in Kenya, they cannot bite the hand that fed them. They are partisan mediators.  They are not a third force that can check the polarized politics in Kenya.

The English have a saying; when you send out your chickens in the morning, they will come home to roost. The evening of Kenyan socio-political, religious society is fast approaching.