Church Leaders Urge Prayer Over Protests

Church leaders have called on young Kenyans and political organizers to abandon planned street demonstrations during forthcoming commemorations of last year’s Gen Z protests, instead urging them to hold peaceful prayer services in places of worship.

The Siaya Church Leaders Forum expressed deep concern over the potential for violence, citing the nation’s history of protests that have frequently spiralled into deadly clashes, property destruction and confrontations with security forces.

“While we recognise the right to picket as enshrined in the Constitution, history tells us that in most cases such demonstrations end up in violence, loss of lives, and destruction of property,” said Bishop James Opiyo Anyango, chairman of the forum. “As the clergy of Siaya, we therefore advise that the forthcoming commemoration of the Gen Z protest should avoid street demonstrations and provocation of the security agents.”

The leaders expressed deep concern over the pattern of past protests, in which initially peaceful intentions were often overtaken by chaos and goons, leaving young participants most exposed to injuries and loss of lives.

“Our daughters and sons lose their lives because they go and provoke the police into violence,” said Wilfred Amolo, the forum’s organizing secretary. “The police are there to protect lives, but if they are provoked to an extent that properties are being destroyed, then they also end up opening fire on our innocent children.”

The appeal comes with Kenya’s next general election approximately 14 months away, amid heightened political temperatures. Bishop Anyango reminded political actors that the current administration remains in office under the constitution until the next electoral cycle, and emphasised the ballot box as the proper avenue for change.

“No need for insults and disrespect to the authority. Mwananchi will have time to make decisions,” he said, warning against a repeat of the ethnic and political violence that devastated the country after the 2007 elections.

Amolo reinforced the message: “If somebody ever wants to change things politically, then we have the vote. In the next 14 months, we are able to vote out whoever we don’t want.”

The church leaders also acknowledged steps taken by President William Ruto’s government to compensate families who lost loved ones in previous rounds of civil unrest.