KENYA: Kenyan Bishops Call for Spiritual and National Social Transformation Ahead of Lent 2026
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As the Catholic Church prepares to enter the sacred season of Lent, which will commence with Ash Wednesday on February 18, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), through its Commission for Promotion of Integral Human Development (CPIHD), Catholic Justice and Peace Department, has called for spiritual and social transformation for renewal of the nation.
The message, signed by the Chairman of the KCCB’s Catholic Justice and Peace Department, and the Auxiliary Bishop of Kenya’s Wote diocese, Rt. Rev. Simon Peter Kamomoe, the Prelates highlight that the season is both a spiritual journey and a practical roadmap for national healing.
“Lent is a sacred season in the Catholic tradition, calling us to humility, conversion, and a deeper awareness of our dependence on God,” Bishop Kamomoe stated in the Lenten campaign booklet and added, “Our spiritual renewal is meant to bear fruit in the way we treat one another and care for our nation.”
Members of KCCB have themed the 2026 Lenten season: “Building a Just, Peaceful and United Kenya: Upholding Equity and Human Dignity.” The 40-day journey of five weeks of observance addresses critical issues challenging Kenya today, from leadership failures and economic hardship to election violence and environmental destruction.
As the Bishops urge Christians to confront pressing national challenges with renewed commitment to justice, peace, and human dignity, the first week will focus on leadership and integrity as foundations for a just society, where Kenyans are reminded that leadership is a sacred duty rooted in service, accountability, and care for the common good.
The second week faces the heavy burden of public debt and rising taxes, leaving ordinary Kenyan families struggling to meet basic needs. The bishops emphasize the sacred duty to manage borrowed funds with accountability and full transparency.
“We cannot continue borrowing without clear benefits and still hope to hand over a healthy nation to our children,” the message states, highlighting the quiet pain that often goes unseen as families grapple with economic pressures.
The third week addresses the sanctity and dignity of every human life, with particular attention to election-related violence. The bishops note that even before the next General Election, which will be in 2027, lives have already been lost, others permanently injured, and communities are grieving because of political competition.
“Human life is never a burden to be managed or a problem to be solved. It is a sacred gift entrusted to us,” the Lenten campaign message emphasizes, and condemns the manipulation and financial enticement that draw desperate young people into violence.
The fourth week examines youth and technology, acknowledging both the opportunities and challenges presented by Artificial Intelligence and digital platforms.
While recognizing that AI opens doors to learning, creativity, and innovation, the bishops warn of serious ethical challenges, including misinformation, harmful content, online manipulation, and digital pressures that affect young people’s well-being and identity.
“Families, schools, churches, community groups, and national institutions all have an important role in helping to build safe and supportive environments where technology uplifts human dignity and strengthens relationships,” Bishop Kamomoe stated.
The final week invites the people of God to listen with compassion to the cry of the Earth and communities most affected by environmental destruction.
“When forests disappear, rivers dry up, or floods destroy homes, both creation and human dignity are wounded,” the bishops observe, adding that, “Protecting the Earth is not the duty of some institutions but a task for families, schools, churches, and local communities working together.”
The Chairman of the KCCB’s Catholic Justice and Peace Department, on behalf of the Bishops, emphasized that the national transformation which Kenyans long for must begin with the conversion of individual hearts.
“We are invited to slow down, listen deeply to God’s word, and allow His gentle call to shape our inner lives,” the message states.
