Fred Matiang'i Lectures Youth Heckling in Church

Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang'i lost his cool while condemning the heckling of worshippers at a church service in Nairobi on Sunday, October 11.

He blamed the disorder on what he called poor leadership in the city and pledged to restore discipline if he is given the chance to lead.

Matiang'i was speaking on Sunday, October 11, at Jesus Is Alive Ministries during a service hosted by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru.

He was addressing a group of youths who had started heckling and chanting when a politician walked into the church. He used the moment to deliver a firm lecture on order, respect for places of worship and the rule of law.

"I am very firm, and I believe in discipline and order. This behaviour you see here, some of it engineered by leaders of Nairobi, is the kind of nonsense I personally would not like to deal with. We are a democratic country and a free country where people have freedom to come and worship," he said.

The former Interior Cabinet Secretary suggested that the disruption was not spontaneous but had been planned by leaders in the capital. 

He was accompanied to the service by a number of political leaders, among them Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo, Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi and former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.

Matiang'i turned to the motives of those behind the heckling and to the sanctity of the church.

"Those who engage in such behaviour are people who have been overwhelmed by the pace of events; now, their aim is to disrupt the meetings of others. The church deserves respect. It is a place to be revered," he said.

He argued that those behind such conduct have been unsettled by the pace of political developments and are now trying to disrupt the gatherings of their rivals. 

The presidential hopeful stressed that places of worship must be treated with reverence and kept out of political quarrels.

He said the country needs a particular kind of leadership to deal with such conduct, one that is steadfast, firm and committed to upholding the law and the truth. 

Matiang'i added that Kenyans cannot tolerate conduct that threatens the freedom of citizens to choose their own path.

He also appealed to the constitution, saying the country already has the legal framework to guarantee those freedoms. He said it was the failure to enforce it that allowed the behaviour to continue.

"This country needs leadership that is steadfast, firm, and committed to upholding the law and the truth as required. We cannot tolerate such conduct in our country because we desire a free nation, one where every citizen has the opportunity to pursue their chosen path. We have a constitution in this country. That is why some of us have stepped forward to contribute to the nation's leadership. We aspire to lead, and if given the chance, we will not tolerate such behaviour. We believe in maintaining discipline in our country," he said.

Matiang'i is eyeing the presidency in the 2027 General Election, and he said it was this sense of duty that led him and other leaders to seek office.

Meanwhile, he threw his weight behind Bishop Wanjiru, who is seeking to become Nairobi governor on her Kenya Moja Movement Party ticket. He said she could bring change to the city.

He said clergy should be able to carry out their work without fear of intimidation.

"A bishop should be able to preach here with their choir, conduct their services, and carry out their programmes without interference, without the place of worship being violated by thugs hired by other leaders. Issues regarding security in Nairobi, such as the menace of goons, the disruption of meetings, and the harassment of citizens, stem from poor leadership that we need to change," he said.

He linked the problem of goons, disrupted meetings and harassed residents directly to the quality of leadership in the capital. In his view, these are failures of governance that voters have the power to correct.

Matiang'i said he was confident that, by God's grace, he and other opposition leaders could join hands with citizens to transform the country and secure meaningful leadership.