KENYA: Reflect and Act on the Nation’s Interests: Catholic Bishops to President of Kenya
Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
Members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have asked the State President, Dr William Samoei Ruto, to discern the choices he must make, guided by what is in the best interest of the Nation.
The bishops raised this concern following the Generation Z (Gen Z’s)-led protests that have been ongoing since mid-last month due to the controversial Finance Bill 2024 and other concerns on poor governance.
“We, the Catholic Bishops, encourage the President and his Government to truly listen and take action even before any form or forum for National Dialogue. He should find time for quiet and reflection. He should discern the choices he has to make and be guided by what is in the best interest of this great country, Kenya,” the bishops said in a statement shared with AMECEA Online Monday, July 15.
Referencing Solomon’s prayer for wisdom in 1 Kings chapters 2 to 3, the prelates emphasized the need for strategic actions that address the demand of Gen Z and the broader Kenyan populace without waiting for formal dialogue.
“As Solomon prayed, “Give thy servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil… (1 Kings 3:9). There are many strategic actions the President can take as a response to the demands of Gen Z’s and Kenyans in general without having to wait for the proposed dialogue,” they narrated.
In their Monday address to all Kenyans, Christians, and all people of goodwill, the prelates further called for “a moment of deep listening and discernment” for the people to reflect on the words from the 2 Chronicles which says: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”.
The Catholic bishops also expressed gratitude for the relative peace and unity in Kenya, despite the loss of lives, injuries, and destruction of property over the past three weeks. They also recognized every life as sacred and emphasized the need for continued prayer and trust in God during this delicate time.
The KCCB members commended the President for taking steps to address pressing national issues saying, “We commend President William Samoei Ruto, for finally listening to the cry of the people, which has been brought out sharply by the Gen Zee protests. Specifically, by declining to sign the controversial Finance Bill, and dissolving the Cabinet to give space for a more competent, dependable, and leaner team that can deliver to Kenyans.”
They continued and stressed, “These two main steps are building stones for better governance and therefore signal a process towards restoring hope among Kenyans. It is a step towards assuring Kenyans that building functional government systems to improve service delivery is possible.”
The bishops further asked the president to fulfil his promise of wide consultation before making new Cabinet appointments, emphasizing the need for integrity and adherence to constitutional values.
“We ask the President to make good of his promise to consult widely before making appointments to the vacant Cabinet Secretaries positions. We emphasize the need to consider Integrity among other values in the new appointments as stipulated in our Constitution. We also ask the President to reconsider appointments in all other critical public appointments. The new appointments should inspire hope and a fresh start. Besides, they should reflect the face of Kenya as demanded in the Constitution,” they said.
In their July 15th statement, Kenya’s Catholic Bishops acknowledged the President’s commitment to tackling corruption, referencing their 2019 Anti-corruption campaign, they supported the decree barring public officers from participating in Harambees.
“Further, we note that the President has committed in his recent addresses to take tangible action to address the cancer of corruption. We as Catholic Bishops had made some suggestions in our 20 19 Anti-Corruption campaign. We welcome the decree that no public officers should participate in Harambee”.
They further suggested that all donations be made through cheques or cash transfers to ensure accountability.
“We appreciate the genesis of Harambee and how, over the years, it has assisted families, communities, institutions, and even government institutions to immensely benefit. However, the spirit of Harambee has been lost and abused”.
In the statement signed by KCCB chairman Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba of Kisumu Archdiocese, the bishops, using the words of Pope Francis during his visit to Kenya in 2015, reminded the nation that “corruption is not a path to life, it’s a path to death”.
