Catholic Bishops Ban Political Speeches in Churches

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has banned politicians from making political speeches in Catholic churches across the country.

In a presser on Thursday, November 12, the bishops said churches should remain places of prayer, peace and unity, where Kenyans from different political backgrounds could worship without being subjected to political campaigns or partisan messages.

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KCCB noted that the electioneering period did not give politicians the freedom to turn religious gatherings into opportunities to solicit votes.

"Electioneering does not make it exceptional to turn places of worship into political platforms. People come to places of worship to find inner peace. People from opposing political parties come to places of worship not as parties but as worshippers.

"We do not make distinctions on the status of worshippers. Everyone is welcome to a place of worship," the bishops said.

KCCB raised concerns over incidents in which politicians had attempted to use church gatherings to advance their political interests, insisting that religious institutions should remain neutral spaces accessible to everyone.

"However, we have incidents where politicians attempt to use places of worship as campaign platforms.

"Places of worship should be peacefully and prayerfully available to everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, and be symbols of unity, love and care," the bishops added.

KCCB further reminded politicians that they had several alternative platforms through which they could communicate their political messages and seek support from voters, including public rallies and media engagements.

"Politicians have many options to utilize in their search for votes, including the media, barazas and roadside rallies. We are therefore reiterating and directing that there shall not be any political address given in any of our Catholic churches in any part of the country," the bishops further said.

KCCB also directed Catholic priests across the country to ensure the ban was implemented, signalling that the position was binding across Catholic churches under their leadership.

"We are therefore instructing all our priests to implement this position of the Bishops' Conference with diligence and the seriousness it deserves," the bishops noted.

Elsewhere, the Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) has outlined strict conditions for attendance at its National Delegates Conference (NDC) scheduled for Friday, November 13.

In a notice on Thursday, November 12, the movement said only delegates who were registered as members of the former TEP by the time the NDC notice was published would be eligible to attend the conference.

"Attendance at the National Delegates Conference (NDC) on 13 November 2026 is restricted to designated delegates drawn from TEP members who were registered by the date the NDC notice was published," the notice read.

LMM also clarified that each county had been assigned a specific number of delegates based on its registered membership, warning that the allocations must be followed during the conference.

"Each county has been allocated a specific number of delegates based on its registered membership. These allocations must be strictly observed," the notice added.

LMM appealed for cooperation from members as it prepares to undertake the transition, describing the conference as an important step in formalising the movement's new identity.

"We ask for your understanding and cooperation as we undertake this important process to approve the party’s name change and ratify other decisions necessary to formalise our transition to the Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM)," the notice concluded.