Tension As MP Publicly Tells a Senior Bishop "Stop The Careless Talk" From Inside a Church Pulpit

A church fundraiser in Gem turned tense after area MP Elisha Odhiambo used the pulpit to sharply rebuke a senior Anglican bishop over remarks he said unfairly targeted Luo leaders. 

Addressing the congregation, Odhiambo criticized Bishop Ong’injo for what he described as “careless talk,” particularly the claim that Luo leaders were “bootlicking” President William Ruto in exchange for a handful of government appointments.

According to Odhiambo, the Bishop had suggested that the community was celebrating only a few high-profile positions—such as the Cabinet posts for Energy and Treasury—implying that these roles reflected political submission rather than meaningful inclusion. 

The MP dismissed this perspective, calling it an incomplete and misleading portrayal of recent political negotiations.

Odhiambo went on to reveal that former Prime Cabinet Secretary and ODM leader Raila Odinga had allegedly been offered five senior government posts by the President. 

In an effort to promote national unity, he said Raila chose to allocate only two of those roles to the Luo community while ensuring the remaining three were shared with other communities across the country. 

This, Odhiambo argued, demonstrated a longstanding commitment to national cohesion rather than narrow ethnic interests.

He urged members of the clergy to be more cautious and thoughtful when commenting on political matters, warning that their words carry influence and potential consequences. 

His remarks underscored growing sensitivities within the region’s political landscape, where community representation, national unity, and shifting political alliances remain highly charged topics.

The confrontation highlighted the delicate balance between religious leadership and political discourse in Kenya, and it reflected wider regional tensions amid evolving relationships between opposition figures and the current administration.