Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has publicly disavowed a viral social media post falsely attributing inflammatory remarks to him, which claimed he told President William Ruto, “Even if you come and apologise, there is no room for mercy.”
The fabricated statement, widely circulated on platforms like X, suggested Sapit had condemned Ruto’s administration for the death of social media influencer Albert Omondi Ojwang in police custody and withdrawn the church’s support.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Sapit clarified that he did not make the remarks, condemned their use as propaganda, and reaffirmed his commitment to seeking justice for Ojwang while urging national unity.
The fake post, which surfaced on May 9, 2025, falsely quoted Sapit as saying, “Mr President, you have hurt this nation beyond what words can heal. You have shed enough innocent blood,” and claimed the church had disavowed Ruto for choosing “evil over righteousness”.
Sapit swiftly flagged the post as fake, stating, “We have noted a post circulating online concerning the tragic death of Albert Ojwang. Let me state unequivocally: we grieve deeply. Every life lost unjustly is a wound to the soul of our nation.”
He expressed distress over the misuse of his name to spread divisive narratives, emphasising that while the sentiments may have been well-intentioned, they did not reflect his views.
Sapit, however, did not shy away from addressing Ojwang’s death, which has sparked nationwide outrage. The 31-year-old teacher died on June 8, 2025, at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, following his arrest in Homa Bay for allegedly posting false information about Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat.
A postmortem conducted by five pathologists, led by Dr Bernard Midia, revealed Ojwang succumbed to severe head injuries from blunt force trauma, with additional non-self-inflicted injuries, contradicting police claims of suicide. Sapit called for full accountability from the National Police Service (NPS), urging an end to extrajudicial killings.
“No life should be lost at the hands of the state without justice,” he said, advocating for a thorough investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The archbishop’s statement aligns with growing criticism from religious and political leaders, including ODM leader Raila Odinga and Homa Bay MP Peter Kaluma, who have demanded transparency.
Sapit urged Kenyans to remain peaceful but vigilant, stating, “Let us stand united in protecting our democratic and constitutional rights without resorting to violence or manipulation.”
The ACK has previously clashed with the government, notably rejecting a KSh 5 million donation from Ruto to a Bungoma church in December 2024, citing concerns over “stolen taxes”.
Sapit has consistently criticised political donations, arguing they compromise the church’s integrity. His stance reflects a fraying relationship with Ruto, once dubbed the “Evangelical President” for his strong church support during the 2022 election, but now facing scrutiny from clergy over governance issues.
