Clergy from the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) have called on young anti-government protesters to suspend their demonstrations immediately.
Led by ACK Archbishop Joseph Ole Sapit, the church commended the protesters for their impact on the Kenya Kwanza government, noting significant changes such as the dismissal and replacement of former Police Inspector General Japhet Koome.
Archbishop Ole Sapit emphasized the need for patience, urging the protesters to allow Ruto more time to tackle the issues raised during the protests.
"We appeal to protesters to suspend protests and give the government time to attend to the raft of demands, some of which the President has begun to address including firing most of his Cabinet Secretaries, signing the IEBC Amendment Bill 2024 into law, and the resignation of the IG of Police," said Ole Sapit at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi.
He cautioned against actions that could jeopardize the future they are fighting for, stating that the church will monitor progress and demand the implementation of committed actions.
Ole Sapit also urged President Ruto to expedite addressing public demands, including reducing government spending and the wage bill, prioritizing essential services, and freezing the accounts of corruption suspects.
"In view of these measures, the government must come up with, in the next one week, an implementation matrix of these demands and make it available for public scrutiny and monitoring. There is much talk about creating employment for the youth; let this be backed by genuine action," he stated.
The Archbishop called for an end to imposing new taxes and levies, particularly the recently adopted housing fee and increased gasoline prices, which he said Kenyan taxpayers do not find cost-effective. He also criticized the current university finance scheme, arguing that it has made higher education inaccessible for many deserving and needy students.
