In Kenya, recent youth protests against proposed tax increases have prompted the Church to take notice. These demonstrations have stirred significant repercussions within a country where over 80 percent of the population, including the president, identifies as Christian.
The young protesters accused the Church of aligning with the government and criticized politicians who used religious platforms for political purposes. In response to these challenges, Catholic leaders organized a special Mass for youth from churches in and around Nairobi.
The Mass aimed to honor those who lost their lives during the anti-tax protests, drawing hundreds of young attendees to the Holy Family Basilica.
This gathering marked a shift from previous weeks when Sunday Masses were disrupted by chants from the basilica’s altar—a notable protest by the digitally adept Generation Z. These youth felt the Church had not supported their opposition to the proposed tax hikes. Bishop Simon Kamomoe addressed the congregation, seeking to reassure them that their concerns had been acknowledged.
“I know as young people sometimes you feel disappointed even in the Church,” he said.
“We would like to renew our commitment in serving you. We can be mistaken…May the Lord forgive us as a Church, where even before God, we have disappointed you.”
He also admonished them to be patient in pursuit of their dreams, to be guided by the Church, and to repent of any sins committed during the protests.
“We don’t want to lose you, we don’t want to lose our young people,” he said, with remarkable candour. “The Catholic bishops are so concerned about losing this generation,” he said, urging them to stay peaceful and protect their lives.
The Mass was punctuated by spirited singing and ended with boisterous cheering as people waved Kenyan flags.
Several who attended said the service was a welcome first step, but a belated one.
“I feel like for the first time, the Church is realising that the young people are serious,” said Yebo, who attended the protests before they turned violent and wanted to remain anonymous.
“And I feel also the Church hasn’t been really on our side. They have been sitting on the fence for a long time.
“The youth have actually been more persistent, they have brought results more than the Church with the current economic change. We can hear the president is taking the youth more serious than he takes the Church serious.”
Church organizations did advocate against the tax bill, but it was the overwhelming presence of young protesters taking to the streets that compelled President William Ruto to reconsider.
The Gen-Z demonstrators are now criticizing what they perceive as a close relationship between Christian institutions and political bodies. At the sidelines of the Mass, they repeatedly expressed concerns about visits by Church leaders to State House, the presidential residence, especially during the protests.
“We believe the president is buying the Church,” said Meshack Mwendwa.
On social media “the Church leaders are seen holding envelopes (alongside) the executive leaders and the permanent members of the government,” he said. “And that’s not what we want as the youth, now it’s time for a change.”
One change they demanded, and got, was an end to the ostentatious practice of “harambee” – politicians giving large sums of money to the Church.
Such donations can buy political influence on Sunday mornings.
The protest movement aimed to stop that – they called it #OccupyChurch.
Some even demonstrated against President Ruto’s attendance at a Church-sponsored event. But he supported their position.
“On matters of politics on the pulpit I am 100 per cent aligned,” he told a media roundtable that aired nationally.
Prosecute politics
“We shouldn’t be using the pulpit in churches or in any other places of worship, to prosecute politics. It is not right.”
Several days later, he prohibited state officers and public servants from publicly making charitable donations and instructed the attorney general to establish a system for organized and transparent contributions. However, the president himself has contributed to this political tradition by using the pulpit as a platform for campaigning.
“His political message was actually driven within the Church,” says Reverend Chris Kinyanjui, the general secretary of Kenya’s National Council of Churches (NCCK).
“So, people feel that they have a Christian government.”
Ruto’s Christian narrative has made it difficult for many pastors to hold him to account, Rev Kinyanjui said. Rather they behave like “shareholders of this administration,” he claimed.
