Patmoz
By Njeri Irungu.
Limuru, Kenya – June 27, 2025
At the close of a two-day retreat in Limuru, the Executive Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has issued a deeply sobering reflection on the state of the nation. In a pastoral letter released from the Jumuia Conference and Country Home, the religious leaders said they had taken time to mourn, pray, and seek divine intervention for what they described as a nation gripped by pain, fear, and injustice.
The Council declared that Kenya stands at a dangerous precipice, warning that the country is “right on the edge of disaster.” They attributed this looming crisis to a triad of interconnected failures: a broken economy, moral decay in leadership, and an escalating culture of repression and fear.
The NCCK pointed to rampant youth unemployment, underemployment, and a rising sense of hopelessness. “A growing number of young Kenyans,” the Council lamented, “feel death is a welcome relief from the poverty and misery they endure daily.” At the same time, the leadership culture was described as increasingly elitist, with individuals from all walks of life jostling for political influence as a gateway to corruption and patronage. This, the church said, is happening against a backdrop of rising public debt, institutional weakness, and mounting governance failures.
Referencing the Bible in Revelation 3:2, the leaders called on the country to “wake up and strengthen what remains before it dies,” insisting that the moment for spiritual and civic awakening is now.
Grave concern was expressed over the state’s response to recent youth-led protests, with the NCCK condemning what it called state-sponsored abductions, torture, and killings. “Kenya has become a police state,” the church said, posing the troubling question: “Why is the government determined to rule by fear and terror, rather than uphold the Constitution and the law?”
The Council extended heartfelt condolences to bereaved families and encouraged all citizens, particularly the youth, to continue pursuing justice and accountability through peaceful demonstrations and civic engagement. Clergy across the country were urged to dedicate worship services on Sunday, June 29, to matters affecting the youth and to mobilize financial and material support for the victims of police brutality.The Council also sounded the alarm over what it described as a coordinated effort by the state to undermine the 2027 General Election. It raised serious objections to the gazettement of IEBC nominees in defiance of a court order, questioning whether the President was deliberately seeking to provoke a judicial nullification of the process in order to delay the reconstitution of the electoral body. The leaders also cautioned against ongoing efforts to unseat Supreme Court judges, warning that such actions could be intended to weaken the judiciary ahead of the next presidential election.
On matters of the economy, the NCCK expressed alarm over what it described as fiscal recklessness, noting that over 50% of salaried income is now taken by the state through taxes and levies. The proposed KShs 4.29 trillion budget, they said, is built on a deficit of nearly KShs 1 trillion—a gap likely to result in even more taxation and borrowing. “It is time for the country to live within its means, just as we do in our homes,” the Council urged, adding that both national and county governments must cut waste and corruption while focusing on productive sectors like cottage industries.
The statement further denounced what it called the “dehumanizing spectacle” of political empowerment rallies, which it likened to a farmer tossing maize to chickens before capturing them. Such acts, the NCCK said, distract from legislators’ true mandate: to make laws and champion policies that uplift all Kenyans, not just a few lucky recipients of handouts. The Council also called for the scrapping of bursary programs run by MPs and MCAs, advocating instead for direct investment in public education through enhanced school capitation.
On foreign policy, the NCCK warned that Kenya’s alleged support for rebel groups such as Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces and involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo risks destabilizing the entire region. Citing Proverbs 26:27—“Whoever digs a pit will fall into it”—the Council warned of potential blowback if Kenya continues to interfere in neighboring countries’ affairs.
The church also lamented the increasing intrusion of politics into sacred spaces, urging congregants and clergy alike to resist turning places of worship into platforms for self-promotion and politicking. “Our churches must remain holy ground,” they said. “Let us keep our sanctuaries clean and reject any form of political interference within the house of God.”
In conclusion, the NCCK called on all Kenyans to raise their voices in prayer and action, warning that silence in the face of injustice is no longer an option. “Our nation is on the edge of disaster,” they declared. “Let us each play our part in demanding justice, accountability and good governance, as we continue to pray for peace, unity, and plenty within our borders.”
