Polygamy not part of Bible teachings: Bishop Ole Sapit

Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit addressing journalists in Bungoma town on April 10, 2018. He said that the church will oppose any laws meant to legalise polygamy and homosexuality in the country. PHOTO | DENNIS LUBANGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has said the church will oppose any laws meant to legalise polygamy and homosexuality in the country. 

While addressing the press on Tuesday at St Crispin ACK Church in Bungoma town, the leader said that the church will not allow marriage of people of same gender or multiple partners.

“The church is very clear through the teachings of the Bible especially the New Testament that one man and one woman make a family. We want to make it clear from the perspective that as a church, a family is one wife and one husband joined together to form a couple and form a family,” said Mr Ole Sapit.

Last week, Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba asked able men from the Kikuyu community to consider marrying many wives, and to also put a brake on family planning.

The renowned radio journalist said polygamy will offer solution to alcoholism and street families, saying the upbringing of children in the absence of their fathers has was the major cause.

Ms Wamuchomba, a wife and a mother, said it was hypocritical and pretentious to keep quite on the subject, which has since drawn mixed reactions, saying polygamy is not a crime but culture.

The renowned radio journalist said polygamy will offer solution to alcoholism and street families, saying the upbringing of children in the absence of their fathers has was the major cause.

However Ole Sapit reiterated that the church only advocates for marriage between females and males but not vice versa.

“We don’t encourage any discussion about homosexuality or lesbianism because that is not the way the Bible teaches. We shall resist any law that comes forward with a view of legalising these evil vices,” added the Anglican head.

Mr Sapit who was accompanied by Bishop George Mechumo of the Bungoma ACK diocese lauded the historical handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader Raila Odinga even as he called upon Kenyans to embrace peace.

“It was a big relief for some of us to see the opposition leader shake hands with President Kenyatta and declare before all of us that they are going to unite Kenya. We should therefore ask each one of us that let us be practical in ways that we are uniting as a country because we want to see more and more people talking about the peace of this country and even individually,” he explained.