Reverend Canon Chris Kinyanjui, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), has strongly criticised senior government officials for attacking religious leaders and the youth amid escalating tensions in Kenya.
Speaking during a morning interview at a local TV station on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, Kinyanjui expressed dismay at the government’s response to young people demanding better governance, accusing it of resorting to abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings instead of dialogue.
His remarks come in the wake of last Wednesday, June 25, 2025, unrest, which has spotlighted the growing rift between the state and Kenya’s youth.
Kinyanjui emphasised the church’s deep connection with the youth, noting that the NCCK alone oversees nearly 10,000 schools, including universities, and runs programmes addressing young people’s challenges, such as unemployment, healthcare, and education.
“The church is the heartbeat of the challenges they have,” he said, highlighting the government’s failure to deliver on promises made to the youth in these areas.
He pointed to the dismantling of healthcare initiatives like Linda Mama, which supported maternal care, and the remodelling of the education system, which has left many young people despondent, with some even taking their lives due to a lack of opportunities.
Government betrayal
The general secretary accused the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government of undermining its youth-focused policies, such as the youth dividend roadmap, which was meant to invest in health, education, and economic opportunities. Instead, Kinyanjui argued, funds have been diverted from critical sectors, industries are closing, and job opportunities are shrinking, leaving the youth feeling like “the caged bird.”
He condemned the government’s labelling of young protesters as “terrorists” and “criminals,” arguing that their calls for better governance are being criminalised rather than addressed. Kinyanjui also reflected on the religious community’s role in the 2022 election, noting that while some church leaders supported President William Ruto, many now oppose his administration’s policies, including disinvestment in health and education and the use of state-sponsored violence.
“They don’t support abductions or extrajudicial killings,” he said, urging the government to bridge the gap with the youth through dialogue rather than force.
The church, he added, seeks to mediate and help the government adopt constructive tools to address the youth’s grievances, fostering a more inclusive future for Kenya.
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined K24 Digital in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at [email protected].
