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A routine vetting session for Gender Cabinet Secretary nominee Hannah Wendot Cheptumo took an unexpected turn when Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo challenged the long-standing practice of swearing witnesses and nominees in using religious texts, particularly the Bible.
Odhiambo raised her concerns after the vetting, questioning the appropriateness of swearing on oath.
Odhiambo called out what she termed a “biblically unfaithful practice,” arguing that asking Christian nominees to swear by the Bible contradicts scripture.
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“For future reference, every time I see members coming, we ask them if they are Christian and raise a Bible, and then we tell them to swear. That is unbiblical. The Bible doesn't allow people to swear; it says, 'Let your yes be yes and your no be no,’” she said.
Her statement drew a quick response from National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, who asked, “What denomination do you belong to?”
Odhiambo responded, “I am a Christian,” prompting Wetang’ula to affirm his own identity as a Catholic. “And we swear by the Bible,” he said.
Undeterred, Odhiambo replied sharply: “Then you are sinful, because the Bible says very clearly your yes be yes and no be no. Don’t be like pagans who swear by the Bible.”
The exchange stirred murmurs among committee members, with Wetang’ula recalling that Odhiambo had been sworn in using the Bible when she took office. “I swore you in Parliament holding a Bible,” he said.
Odhiambo corrected him, saying “No, I affirmed. I don’t swear. The Bible says you affirm."
The debate took a humorous turn when Suna East MP Junet Mohammed questioned rhetorically, “How do pagans swear by the Bible?”
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Wetang’ula, in an effort to close the discussion, remarked, “You know Millie is always courting controversy; we will not allow it here. We swear by the holy book, the Bible, the Quran, or the Indian Bhagavad Gita.”
The exchange has stirred fresh public interest in the religious and constitutional implications of oath-taking practices in Kenya’s public offices.
What the Bible Says About Swearing Oaths
Millie Odhiambo’s argument is based on Matthew 5:33–37, where Jesus teaches during the Sermon on the Mount:
Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all... All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (NIV)
This passage is often interpreted, particularly by Quakers and some other Christian groups, as a directive against oath-taking entirely, leading them to affirm rather than swear in legal or public settings.
However, many Christian traditions, including Catholicism, interpret this scripture as a call to integrity in speech rather than a ban on all forms of oath-taking.
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They argue that swearing an oath on the Bible in solemn contexts (such as in court or public office) is consistent with biblical respect for truth, especially when done sincerely.