Intrigues and drama behind Archbishop Anyolo posting and Ruto's tightening grip on Catholic Church -

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The posting of Bungoma born Most Reverend Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo to head the Kisumu archdiocese has been likened to a political appointment and linked to Deputy President William Ruto 2022 succession plan.

DP Ruto has seemingly placed a heavy premium on Anyolo’s Bukusu sub-tribe of the Luhya and is now courting regional religious leaders as part of a wider intricate plan to package himself as a candidate of the Western region.

Archbishop Anyolo replaced Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth who retired after five decades of service to the expansive Kisumu Archdiocese.

The process of Anyolo’s political appointment started much earlier and involved high level canvassing within the Kenyan Parliament, the Kenyan Conference of Catholic Bishops, and at the Vatican.

In July last year, FORD-Kenya’s Chris Wamalwa, in his capacity as Chairman of Parliamentary Caucus of Catholic members of parliament, led a group of Catholic MPs to pay hommage to Ruto at his Karen residence.

During this meeting, a proposal to adopt Rev Anyolo as the preferred successor to Okoth was mooted and adopted. At the same time, a budget to finance the MPs was also availed by DP Ruto.

From there, it was all systems go as Wamalwa, who is also the Kiminini Member of Parliament, later led a large group of Catholic MPs for a trip to Rome, Italy where they met the Pope and strongly lobbied for the Ruto-friendly Rev Anyolo to be posted to takeover from Okoth whose retirement was due.

The Pope having received a recommendation from KCCC and believing that Anyolo’s work was to spread the gospel and manage the Archdiocese acceded to the request by the Kenyan members of parliament.

Little did the Pope have any idea that he was playing into the hands of DP Ruto who has his eyes firmly fixed on 2022 Presidential elections and wanted to use the Catholic Church networks to reach and win over political support in the populous and vote-rich Western Kenya region.

A few days before the installation of Bishop Philip Anyolo in Kenya, the DP Ruto hosted almost all Catholic heads in Western Kenya and Rift valley at his Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu.

A source that attended the meeting told Kenyan News Day that the DP essentially used the meeting to appeal to the clergymen to plead with President Uhuru Kenyatta to reduce the political heat on DP Ruto especially with regard to the 2022 general elections.

At the same meeting, we reliably learnt, the DP came up with idea of a significant gift for Bishop Anyolo as a way of winning hearts of Catholic faithful as a generous giver.

A source at State House told Kenyan News Day that initially the President was the one to grace the Anyolo installation ceremony but after getting intelligence on the political plans by his Deputy, he boycotted the event and called the head of the Catholic Church Cardinal John Njue and told him NASA leader Raila Odinga would instead represent him.

True to intelligence briefing, DP Ruto presented Anyolo with a classy Mitsubishi Pajero SUV and privately also gave handed the newly installed archbishop an unspecified amount of money.

Interestingly, in August last year when he attended the installation of the new Catholic bishop of Machakos Norman Wambua, Ruto did not gift the new bishop nor shower him with praised as he has done with Anyolo.

As it was evident at the ceremony in Kisumu nearly all political leaders from Bungoma County sympathetic to Ruto led by Moses Wetangula and Chris Wamalwa were present.

That week, eyebrows were raised when DP Ruto who is the President’s principal assistant did not read the president’s message at two public events.

This week, Kenyan News Day established that DP has lined up a major homecoming later this month for a senior member of staff in his office based at Harambee House Annex.

Ruto”s appointee is expected to be in charge of a directorate overseeing the implementation of the Big-4 agenda which he created in the office of the Deputy President so as to appease President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Needless to say, the homecoming ceremony will take place in Kimilili, Bungoma County where Ruto will be the guest of honour and Bishop Anyolo will preside over the service during which time leaders will renew calls for Ruto’s ambition for 2022.

During the time DP Ruto travelled to Uganda together with his family and was hosted by President Yoweri Museveni for days, his handlers made a point to organise a meeting with Ugandan Catholic bishops as a way of spreading his regional influence.