NAIROBI, Kenya — As Kenya prepares to mark the first anniversary of the June 25, 2024, protests that shook the nation and claimed dozens of young lives, the Catholic Church is stepping into the national conversation—with a message that’s as sharp as it is pastoral: protest, but do it peacefully; and to the state—protect, don’t persecute.
In a candid and emotional joint statement delivered Tuesday, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) called on the country’s youth to uphold peace while exercising their constitutional right to protest. But make no mistake—they weren’t just talking to Gen Z.
“The government’s primary responsibility is to protect its citizens, not to threaten, silence, or punish them,” said Nyeri Archbishop Anthony Muheria, one of the Church’s most vocal moral voices.
That punchy line landed after the bishops issued a blistering critique of how authorities handled last year’s protests against the 2024 Finance Bill—demonstrations that began as peaceful expressions of dissent but ended in tragedy, with young Kenyans shot, abducted, or disappeared.
Many of the victims were unarmed. Their crime? Demanding accountability.
“We have witnessed the harassment, abduction, and in some cases, killing of young people whose only offence was raising their voice for justice,” said KCCB Chair Rev. Maurice Muhatia. And the bishops aren’t ready to move on just yet.
This week’s statement is more than a call for calm ahead of renewed Gen Z protests planned for June 25—it’s a demand for truth, justice, and remembrance.
The bishops are now calling for a permanent memorial to honor those who died last year, describing the 2024 protests as a defining moment in the country’s democratic journey.
“These young souls should not have lost their lives,” said Muheria. “It is fair to give them a fitting memorial.”
But while the Church urged demonstrators to stay within the law, it didn’t mince words about where blame lies.
The bishops condemned the excessive use of force, the alleged collusion between police and criminal elements, and what they termed the “selective application of the law.”
“How can goons work together with police?” Muheria asked rhetorically. “We demand justice for all those murdered and those shot, and the conviction of all the perpetrators.”
If that doesn’t sound like the usual cautious diplomacy of religious institutions, that’s because it isn’t. The Catholic Church in Kenya has increasingly embraced its role as a watchdog—especially in times when public trust in political and legal institutions is crumbling.
And they’re not just lamenting what went wrong. They’re actively calling for a new approach—one that centers dignity, dialogue, and accountability.
“We appeal to the youth to exercise their rights peacefully and within the law,” Muhatia said. “Since then, the Church and other civic actors have sought to engage them meaningfully, offering platforms for dialogue and participation.”
With June 25 drawing near and emotions still raw from the recent death of blogger Albert Ojwang, allegedly at the hands of police, Kenya’s streets may again fill with voices demanding change.
The bishops’ message to both the state and the streets is clear: this time, do better.
