The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has voiced its disapproval of the government of President William Ruto, citing claims of widespread corruption, excessive taxes, and broken promises.
On Thursday, November 14, the bishops made their statement to the press in Ruaraka Sub-County, which is located inside Nairobi County.
They accused the government of not keeping its earlier pledge to recover the debt that is due by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to faith-based groups.
In their statement, the church leaders also criticized the government’s decision to increase the cost of the missionary work permit.
Although they tried to contact the president, they said he had not yet acted.
As a further point of criticism, the bishops criticized the Kenya Kwanza government for its unwillingness to establish the Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), despite the fact that several stakeholders had made appeals for the commission’s establishment.
Similarly, the bishops expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposal to increase the maximum number of terms that a president may serve from five to seven years at the news conference. They expressed their intention to push the law through Parliament for approval.
“We remember the significant problems that we have discussed with the government in recent times about the taxation of Kenyans, the increase in the cost of missionary work permits, young unemployment, and rules of the education system, especially the Competency Bed Curriculum (CBC) and the budget for education,” the bishops pointed out.
The letter went on to state, “We believe that meaningful discussions among all involved parties are crucial, going beyond casual public engagement.”
“We need to address this culture of deception, unkept promises, and misdirected priorities,” the statement said.
While speaking to the media, the KCCB also voiced its disapproval of the government’s alleged violations of human rights, including the restriction of the right to freedom of expression.
Abductions, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial executions have been occurring on a regular basis, and the bishops have expressed their concern at the government’s inability to settle these instances.
The government’s decision to remain silent about incidents of kidnapping and murder, particularly involving young girls and women, has caused a great deal of worry, indignation, and disgust among Kenyans, according to the leaders of the church denominations involved.
The events in June 2024, often referred to as the Gen Z demonstrations, brutally murdered and disappeared many children, leaving many families struggling to come to terms with their loss.
The bishops observed that many of them expressed their concerns about widespread corruption and questioned, “Who is responsible for these abductions?”
To resolve the issue, the Catholic bishops recommended that President Ruto’s government make effective use of the collected income and implement austerity measures to prevent excessive spending.
“We give thanks to God for keeping our nation together in spite of the social and political changes that have occurred.”
The bishops added, “We hope that our leaders, guided by the ideals of justice, compassion, humility, selflessness, and honesty, provide our country with effective leadership and governance.”
