Kenya’s Catholic bishops have called on the government to listen to and not suppress the voices of young people, saying the frustration they are expressing reflects the deep concerns of many citizens.
In a powerful joint statement issued Tuesday, June 24, 2025, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) warned that ignoring or violently responding to peaceful protests risks plunging the country into deeper instability and moral crisis.
“Young people deserve listening and support, not suppression,” the bishops said, reflecting on the youth-led protests that rocked the nation in 2024.
“These youth-led demonstrations reminded us of the power of civic consciousness and the rightful place of young people in shaping the country's direction.”
The bishops addressed the press in Nairobi hours before planned countrywide protests by Gen Zs in memory of the deaths of young people last year.
The bishops noted that although the protests initially began peacefully—motivated by rising taxation, limited opportunities, and growing political exclusion—they soon turned tragic due to “brutal use of force,” which led to the deaths of many young Kenyans.
The bishops condemned what they termed a “disturbing pattern” of abductions, harassment, and extrajudicial killings of youth activists.
“These incidents have left families in mourning and communities in a state of fear,” they said.
“Our young people are not enemies of the state. They are citizens with valid concerns who should be heard and supported in building a better future for all.”
They expressed deep concern over the “increasing disregard for human life and dignity,” pointing to several recent killings, including that of Boniface Kariuki, who was shot at point-blank range by a police officer, and priests Fr. John Mayena and Fr. Alois Bette, who died under mysterious circumstances.
“When those charged with upholding law and order become the source of fear and injustice, it signals a moral crisis in the state,” the bishops warned, adding that “authentic peace cannot exist where justice is denied or human life is threatened.”
Citing scripture and Catholic social teaching, the bishops called for a return to justice, mercy, and humility in governance.
“Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is founded on truth, built up in justice, nurtured and animated by charity,” they said, quoting Gaudium et Spes.
The Church urged security officers to act with professionalism and restraint and not collaborate with “protected goons” to violently disrupt otherwise peaceful gatherings.
“How can goons work together with the police?” they asked.
They further demanded justice for the victims of the 2024
protests, calling for the prosecution and conviction of all perpetrators.
While appealing to the youth to protest peacefully and avoid violence, the bishops also issued a strong rebuke to political actors “gathering around the mourners of victims only to deliver personal advertisements while offering no relief or solutions.”
They called for national healing and urged all
Kenyans—especially the youth—to pursue justice, peace, and dialogue as a path
to a better and more inclusive Kenya.
