President William Ruto and his wife, Rachel, have stirred controversy after imposing mandatory fasting and prayers every Wednesday for all staff working in State House in line with their Christian faith.
According to reports, no food will be provided and staff would not be allowed to bring their own food into the premises.
The move has sparked debate on social media, with some arguing that religion should be a freedom of choice and not imposed. While others opined that fasting is not necessarily Christian, and that such rituals are enforced in many offices for purposes of discipline and focus.
However, digital communication strategist Pauline Njoroge called it unconstitutional, stating that it’s not even fasting but rather withdrawing people’s right to eat.
The news came as a recent Infotrak report revealed that only 5% of Kenyans believe that Ruto is religious.
This move has prompted some Kenyans to question whether the deputy president is using religion as a tool for political gain. It also raises concerns about the separation of religion and state, as well as the potential violation of employees’ rights.
