Church’s criticism of Ruto laudable
Archbishop Maurice Muhatia (left) along with other members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops at Clergy Home, Queen of Apostle Mission Parish, along Thika Road on November 14, 2024.
After a long period of silence and being incompatible bedfellows, the Church has made a commendable return as the people’s watchdog by openly criticising the ills perpetrated by the government.
Although the Catholic Bishops’ move has come somewhat late, it is a positive step in the right direction – one that should be emulated by other religious leaders in the country.
Kenya might not have reached this dire state, where citizens endure hard economic times caused by punitive policies such as heavy taxation, steep import and export duties, mandatory statutory deductions, and soaring prices of goods and services, if religious leaders had earlier joined civil society in condemning and opposing the government’s actions.
President William Ruto has already acknowledged the need to review the concerns raised by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Kenya Kwanza administration must address the culture of governing through untruths and misrepresentation to the people.
An immediate issue requiring attention is the newly established Social Health Insurance Funds scheme, which has severely disrupted the delivery of medical services. The government must also reassess the implementation of the affordable housing levy, the NSSF mandatory contributions, and the recent increases in deducted amounts.
We should revisit the era of the 1980s and 1990s, when religious leaders and denominations united to condemn societal and governmental wrongdoings. Their joint efforts, though often met with insults, embargoes, and other challenges, were effective and bore significant fruit.
Meanwhile, elected leaders have abandoned their constituents, prioritising personal interests over public welfare. Now that religious leaders appear to be awakening from their slumber, we can hope for meaningful change in government and vocal opposition to actions that oppress the people. As we approach the end of the year, let this mark the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of Kenyans, heralded by the resurgence of religious leaders as the moral compass of society.
Damson Onger, Koru, Kisumu
