NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Catholic bishops have always been a sobering voice in the country’s political space, often articulating their criticism against government excesses. Like the renowned Old Testament prophets who bravely rebuked kings for wrongdoings and set them on the path of righteousness — at times risking the wrath of the powers in the land — Kenya’s Catholic bishops have always kept the state in check.

They are known for their firm and unbending stance, fearlessly proclaimed through homilies, news conferences and press releases. They speak with a calm and assured authority, a candid yet respectful tone, while voicing their discontent over perceived political wrongs.

The bishop’s miter and staff epitomize divine authority and are venerated tools embodying the church’s political influence in a country where Catholics constitute a fifth of the population.

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And now, after years of a relative lull from their fiery criticisms that shot them to prominence in the 1990s, the bishops have lately taken a firm stance against government excesses under President William Ruto’s regime.

Kenyan media reports have noted the resurgence of Catholic bishops as a key voice in local politics after a two-decade hiatus. The Catholic Church is hailed as an influential crusader for good governance due to its past agitation. However, the Catholic Church had been virtually quiet during the reigns of the two presidents who preceded Ruto.

The bishops’ agitation has resumed in recent months amid dissatisfaction with Ruto’s governance, culminating in the famous Gen Z protests that rocked the East African country this past summer. Ruto’s regime has also attracted strong criticism for its high taxation and rights violations that include abductions.

As the youths hit the streets and were brutishly repulsed by state security, the bishops joined the fray of influential voices that attempted to pacify the escalating tensions between the government and the protestors.

Applauding the protest movement for partaking in the democratic space, the bishops also condemned “the brutal and inhuman police acts” that had led to deaths and injuries. The bishops also urged the youths to consider alternative pathways of engaging the government, hinting at structured dialogue, in place of the street protests.  

Speaking as individuals and as a collective under their umbrella body — the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops — the bishops have increasingly used their voice to various touchy political and social issues.

Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri Anthony Muheria has risen to prominence for his commentaries on social and political matters, which has earned him considerable admiration and barbs from both the public and the political class. In many ways, Muheria revives the spirit of Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki bold oversight of the state, and has consistently told the powers of the land that some policies harm the citizenry and need revisiting.

In recent months, Muheria’s criticism of the government has triggered the ire of several key politicians in Ruto’s regime. Last month, the KCCB released a hard-hitting statement in which the bishops warned of declining confidence in the government over what they called “a culture of lies.”

“We the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, feel compelled to voice our grave concerns regarding the troubling political climate that has gripped our country,” the statement said. “Despite the calmness we are experiencing, there is a lot of anxiety, and most people are losing trust in the government.”

The bishop’s statement evoked strong reactions from state officials and politicians allied to the president, who promptly came to the government’s defense.

The office of the archbishop of Nairobi further rejected a cash donation that Ruto had made to a Nairobi Catholic church during a visit, adding more wood to the fire. Rejecting the president’s donation was a hallmark of the bishops’ boldness and threw state officials in a spin, prompting pro-government politicians to make face-saving pronouncements against public backlash. The incident evoked strong reactions and prominence in both local and international media. 

As a result, other churches and religious formations, including the Anglican church, supported the sentiments of the Catholic bishops while echoing their disgruntlement with the government.

Ruto’s regime evokes memories of former President Daniel arap Moi, whose 24-year rule put him in the crosshairs of the country’s Catholic leadership. In the years of his iron-fisted rule that was marred by human rights abuses, Moi triggered the erstwhile docile and politically averse church to action. His rule was regularly castigated through pastoral letters and vocal criticisms from the bishops. In particular, Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki, who died in 2020, was hailed as one of the most vocal religious leaders in the crusade to democratize Kenya in the ‘90s.

Researchers, speaking on the history of the Catholic Church’s vocal involvement in the country’s politics, point to three factors that triggered the church to take a more proactive position in Kenyan politics. A study titled, “The Role of Church in State and Public Affairs During the Moi Era, 1978-2002,” published in the Journal of Philosophy, Culture and Religion traces the roots of Catholic political voice to the early ‘90s.

The papal visit of John Paul II in 1980, who was positively received by the Kenyan government, the celebration of the Eucharistic World Congress in the country in 1985 and the centenary celebration of the Catholic Church in Kenya 1989-90 marked a period of growing consciousness among Catholic laity of their social and political obligation.  

As Ruto’s regime enters a new year struggling to win public acceptance, it is clear that the voice of the Catholic bishops is back and their political clout will increasingly reverberate in the corridors of power. 

“A culture of lies is swiftly replacing integrity and respect in government,” said Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, adding, “Kenyans deserve better!”

Joseph Maina is a Kenyan journalist. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and media studies from the University of Nairobi. For the past decade, he has served as a correspondent for various print and digital publications in his native Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa.