Nairobi, 14 July, 2023 / 9:50 pm (ACI Africa).
Religious leaders in Kenya have cautioned President William Samoei Ruto against allowing citizens of the East African nation to stage a violent revolt against his government amid economic hardships.
In their Friday, July 14 statement, religious leaders, who include representatives of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) react to the latest round of opposition-led protests that have resulted in multiple deaths, and destruction of property.
“The suffering individual Kenyans are experiencing is pushing them into hopelessness that can easily inspire insurrection. Your Excellency, do not allow this country to go down this path,” the representatives of Christian and Muslim leaders in Kenya say in the statement read out to journalists following their meeting at Ufungamano House in Nairobi.
They call upon President Ruto to urgently address the political crisis, saying, “We urge you to reverse Kenya’s downward spiral into the abyss by adopting policies and strategies that give Kenyans hope while addressing the economic challenge in both short and long terms.”
“Your Excellency, the nation God appointed you to lead is not in a good state. We appeal to you to hear the cry of the people of Kenya, being guided by the wisdom of God found in the Bible,” Kenya’s mainstream faith leaders say in their four-page statement, and cite Quran, Sura 4:135, and Proverbs 27:23: “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.”