Stop ignoring religious leaders' views on issues of national concern

Religious leaders in Kenya are very angry and disappointed with the Kenya Kwanza government. Recently several videos have gone viral online with daring-the-devil messages from respected pastors. The latest features Rev Pastor Teresia Wairimu who could not hold any longer her “embarrassment” at the very government she told her congregants was ordained by God. The sense of bewilderment at the poor government service delivery is palpable among many religious leaders.

Just last week, three mainstream religious organisations, the Catholic Justice and Peace Department (CJPD - KCCB), National Council of Churches of Kenya and Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims issued a sharp statement questioning the government’s commitment to promoting justice, peace and respect for the rule of law. Unfortunately, the media did not take the statement with the weight it deserved, instead preferring to prime the political war between the President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua. The statement focused on the state of the nation and made demands as follows:

Kenya is currently experiencing a crisis, with a national survey revealing that 73 per cent of citizens believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. The religious leaders expressed concern over massive ethnic mobilisation among politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections, drawing parallels to the dangerous pre-election climate that led to the 2007 Post-Election Violence. They condemned the government’s failure to constitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which they argued violates the constitutional rights of citizens. Furthermore, they criticised the pervasive corruption across all levels of government and expressed alarm at the rushed transition from the National Health Insurance Fund to the Social Health Authority, which has resulted in reduced healthcare benefits. Additionally, changes in university funding have left many students unable to return to classes, they lamented.

In light of this, the leaders demanded immediate action from the government. They called for the swift constitution of the IEBC Commissioners Selection Panel to restore electoral integrity. They also insisted on the cancellation of contracts linked to Adani-related companies in the health and energy sectors and the management of the JKIA airport. The statement urged Parliament to withdraw anti-people bills, including those related to agriculture and the proposed extension of elected leaders’ terms, emphasising the need for MPs to prioritise the citizens’ interests. Furthermore, they demanded a suspension of the new university funding model to allow for consultations that will ensure fairness for all students.

Give it to them, religious leaders have, over the past two years, as they have done with previous regimes, offered advice to the government in public and in private. This time, they have thrown up their hands. It is unlikely religious leaders will just wake up and begin to pour their frustrations in public without having tried hard to pass their grievances to the relevant authorities through soft diplomacy. From the Finance Bill to appeals for IEBC reconstitution, religious leaders have gone the extra mile to plead with the government to do the right thing but nothing has changed. They have issued several press statements that sometimes are unamplified by the mainstream media.

Ignoring religious leaders to a point where they feel “embarrassed” tells us why politics without morality is very dangerous. It is easier for one to be blinded by political power and money. The human tendency is always to be more powerful and amass more wealth. In the process, the temptation to run over anyone who calls for moral responsibility is ignored. After all, politics, some scholars argue, has no political relevance. This is a fallacy. For example, the brutalising of young, peaceful demonstrators is both a legal and moral issue. Without a culture of taking moral responsibility embedded in our political behaviour politics of deceit will continue to prevail.

We recognise, in the Constitution, the centrality of religious practice in building a just society. The voice of God matters. Religious leaders amplify this voice. Granted some religious leaders have fallen short of the glory of God, but the government should not pretend not to hear their pain in demanding justice for all.

Dr Mokua is the executive director of Loyola Centre for Media and Communication