Bishop Kariuki recalls endless phone calls, 'greetings' from Kenyans after meeting President Ruto

Bishop Mark Kariuki, the general overseer of Deliverance Church of Kenya, has shared his unpleasant experience just hours after visiting President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi. The long-serving religious leader, who was part of a religious delegation that paid a courtesy visit to the President in December, recently revealed to his church congregation that his private phone number was leaked online immediately after the meeting, prompting Kenyans from all walks of life to engage with him aggressively.

The now-infamous tactic known as 'injecting' (also referred to as 'greeting') emerged during the 2024 anti-government protests. It involves making direct phone calls to public figures and politicians, often to criticize or berate them.

Kariuki, the presiding Bishop at Majestic City Church, struggled to explain to his congregation why he attended the Ruto meeting. He clarified that he wasn’t the leader of the delegation but was simply invited along with his peers.

"We were called to State House by the President. I wasn’t alone—there were 25 of us. I wasn’t even the leader of the group. I didn’t organize it... I was invited, and when a leader invites you, you can’t say no. So, I went," he explained to the congregation.

Kariuki recounted that as soon as they left the State House, the backlash began. By the time he reached his office, his phone had started ringing nonstop. He described picking up the first call, only to be greeted with harsh words: "Hallo Bishop Mark, Mbwa wewe! Ng’ombe!" Confused, he checked himself to see if he had horns or a tail, realizing he wasn’t a dog or a cow, and eventually returned to his normal routine.

The preacher revealed that his son informed him of what was happening. "I was with my son in the car, and the phone kept ringing endlessly. I knew any new number was one of the abusive calls. My son told me he had seen my phone number and my wife’s number circulating online," he said.

Following the meeting, various prominent personalities on X (formerly Twitter) shared his phone number and called for Kenyans to engage with him. Digital strategist Cornelius K. Rono wrote, "Enemy of progress. Ruto's puppet! Let’s inject properly!"

Controversial blogger Francis Gaitho also joined in, posting, "Name: Bishop Mark Kariuki. Offense: Agent of (Ruto) The Devil. Action: Inject!"

Activist @WanjiruWanjiru also weighed in, calling him out: "Today's enemy is BIG-SHOP Mark Kariuki, Deliverance Church. His bags are full today after receiving a brown envelope at State House. It’s time to boycott Deliverance Church and all those greedy pastors who meet with the looter today!"

After the meeting, President Ruto emphasized the importance of collaboration between the State and religious institutions despite rising tensions. Ruto stated on X, "Religious faiths and the State serve the same people and have always worked together to ensure national unity and provide social services, including education, health, and supporting the vulnerable. We are committed to maintaining this partnership."