Pastors and men of God took to the streets of Nairobi today in a powerful display of peaceful protests against President William Ruto’s administration, expressing solidarity with Kenya’s youth and praying for the upcoming Gen Z-led demonstrations.
The movement reflects growing discontent with Ruto’s policies, including allegations of corruption, overtaxation, abductions, police brutality and other human rights abuses.
The clergy’s actions signal a shift in the church’s stance, as many religious leaders openly criticise the government they once supported during Ruto’s 2022 election campaign.
The protests, centred in Nairobi’s Central Business District, saw dozens of pastors from various denominations, including evangelical and Pentecostal churches, marching with placards and singing hymns like “Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu”, Kenya’s national anthem.
They prayed for justice, peace, and protection for Gen Z activists planning nationwide protests against Ruto’s regime, expected to escalate in July 2025.
Pastor Daniel Wambua, a prominent Baptist cleric, led a prayer session, urging, “We stand with our youth against oppression and impunity,” referencing the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests that left at least 24 dead and over 200 injured.
The clergy also condemned the abduction of 82 activists in 2024, as documented by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR).
The demonstrations come amid strained relations between Ruto and the church, once a key ally. Ruto, Kenya’s first evangelical president, leveraged religious platforms during his 2022 campaign, earning endorsements from pastors who praised his “hustler” narrative.
However, his administration’s policies, including tax hikes and a $155,000 donation to Jesus Winner Ministry in Roysambu, have drawn ire.
In March 2025, police fired tear gas at Gen Z protesters attempting to occupy the church, intensifying accusations that Ruto uses donations to sway religious leaders.
Catholic and Anglican bishops, who rejected similar donations in 2024, have since labelled Ruto’s government an “Orwellian dystopian authoritarian” state, citing a “culture of lies” and unfulfilled promises.
On social media, sentiments reflect the clergy’s shift, with citizens posting, “Pastors and men of God in the streets holding peaceful protests against President William Ruto’s regime,” alongside images of clergy in robes holding crosses.
Others praised the pastors, writing, “The church is waking up! #PastorsForGenZ,” while others questioned their motives, noting, “Where were they when Ruto was buying pulpits?”
The pastors’ protests highlight a broader reckoning within Kenya’s church, which 80% of the population identifies with. Reverend Chris Kinyanjui of the National Council of Churches (NCCK) previously admitted the church’s complicity, stating, “Pastors acted like shareholders of Ruto’s administration.”
Today’s actions, including prayers for “healing the nation” and “wisdom for Gen Z”, suggest an attempt to rebuild trust with Kenya’s youth, who accused churches of “sitting on the fence” during 2024’s deadly protests.
At Nairobi Chapel Greenpark, Pastor Andrew Kariuki echoed this, apologising for church leaders’ misalignment with Kenyans’ struggles.
As Gen Z prepares for 2025 protests, fuelled by economic hardship and distrust in Ruto’s reforms, the clergy’s involvement could amplify their impact.
Human Rights Watch reported “grave abuses” by Ruto’s police in 2023, including abductions and excessive force, further galvanising activists.
The pastors’ call for peaceful demonstrations and dialogue aligns with Martin Luther King III’s 2024 appeal for non-violence, urging Kenyans to “rise in a harmonious call for justice”.
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— KENYA GOSSIP HUB (@kenyasgossips) June 21, 2025
