The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has joined a growing chorus of religious leaders speaking out against President William Ruto's administration.
In a rare show, ACK Arcbishop Jackson Ole Sapit on Monday backed a recent statement from Catholic bishops, condemning what they describe as escalating misrule, impunity, and widespread rights violations.
The bishops had last week called out Dr Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Administration for allegedly perpetuating a “culture of lies”, including failure to honour his campaign pledges and imposing punitive and exploitative policies.
In a statement released Monday, Mr Sapit urged the government to address pressing concerns from the controversial Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) overhaul and inadequate education funding to the heavy tax burden squeezing ordinary Kenyans.
“We the ACK fully support the Catholic bishops' statement to the nation. We believe that the government is yet to turn around the country and steer it in the right direction. Calling church leaders names or dismissing the bishops' statement as misleading, erroneous and false" is itself dishonest," he said.
“The bishops have spoken the minds of Kenyans and faithfully expressed the truth as things are on the ground. No amount of attacks or intimidation will deter the church from calling out evil and speaking the truth to power,” Mr Sapit said in a statement.
Latest phase of criticism
The statement from mainstream churches marks the latest phase of growing criticism against the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Recently, some evangelical churches that had supported Ruto during the 2022 presidential election came out to openly voice their discontent with his regime.
The shift has sparked debates within religious communities and beyond as these churches reconsider their alignment with a government they once championed, believing it embodied their values of economic revival and social justice.
During the 2022 presidential race, the evangelical community rallied behind Dr Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza alliance, convinced that his promises would bring economic renewal and social equity. Their sermons also encouraged congregants to vote for Dr Ruto, believing his victory would not only be a democratic triumph but also one of divine providence.
However, just two years into his administration, many of these same churches are now expressing frustration over the government's failure to deliver on those promises.
Last month, Pastor Tony Kiamah of the River of God Church voiced similar sentiments referencing scripture to express his disappointment.
“The Bible says we shall know them by their fruits, and for sure, there is no fruit of God here. Our church fathers must acknowledge that we made a mistake,” Pastor Kiamah said, emphasizing the disconnect between the government's promises and its actions.
Apostle William Kimani of the Kingdom Seekers Church has also weighed in highlighting how the current government, which initially gained public support through its God-anchored rhetoric, now appears to have lost its way.
He questioned the speed at which key decisions, such as the ouster of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, were made and raised concerns over transparency of the decision-making process.
“Critical decisions are being made in haste without proper scrutiny. We need transparency and accountability to restore faith in our leadership,” Apostle Kimani stated. He urged politicians to prioritise bills that would benefit Kenyans and encouraged continued prayers for the nation.
“We are living in interesting times. We don’t know what God is about to do with this nation, but we need to remain on our knees and continue to pray that Kenya stays on the right path towards her divine destiny,” he said
