Gari, kitambi na mke! Bishop humorously recounts church registration journey

Bishop Emmanuel Olemereu/ SCREENGRAB.

Bishop Emmanuel Olemereu has reflected on the challenges he encountered 15 years ago when he began the journey to register his church.

Speaking during a Sunday church service in Narok, which was attended by President William Ruto, the bishop reminisced about how he was once told he could not qualify to be a bishop without meeting three conditions: own a car, have a pot belly, and be married.

His remarks, which sparked laughter among the congregants, shed light on some of the societal expectations and informal barriers he had to navigate in pursuit of his calling.

“Miaka kumi na tano iliyopita nilienda kuandikisha huduma ili kuanza kanisa. Niliporudi nikaambiwa huwezi kuwa bishop bila gari, kitambi na mke,” he said.

(Which translates to: 15 years ago, I went to register a ministry to start a church. When I went back, I was told I could not become a bishop without owning a car,  having a pot belly and having a wife.

On the pot belly, the cleric went on to say that he was later encouraged by one of his close associates, who reminded him that people are not judged by their bodies, but by their actions and deeds.

“I later talked to God and told him about matters pot belly, I will try to achieve the milestone by consuming food,” he stated.

The bishop further shared that he faced difficulties in finding a wife, which was one of the so-called requirements he had been told were necessary to qualify as a bishop.

But his breakthrough came during a Sunday school session, where he met a lady and boldly asked her out, expressing his intention to build a family together.

“And that was how God helped me find a wife,” he said.

He said that as things stand now, getting the car is the only thing that remains.

With a touch of sarcasm, he joked about the pot belly, saying, “The way to heaven is narrow,” drawing laughter from the congregation.

As for the car, he suggested that the President could help him with that.

His light-hearted remarks highlighted some of the unrealistic expectations that may be placed on spiritual leaders.

The clerical leader expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the President for visiting their congregation, emphasising that the visit was unprecedented in Mosiro, Narok County.

“Today feels like a national holiday in Mosiro. For more than 30 years, we have never seen a President here. Some even wondered whether the President exists only on TV or he’s real, but this is the President here,” the Bishop said.