How Long, O Lord?
Pastoral Letter to the People of Kenya
Habakkuk 1: 2 – 4
How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
The Executive Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya has held a two-day meeting here at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru. We prayerfully took time to mourn and cry to the Lord for the pain that is pervading every family in our nation. From our reflections, we now share this letter with you.
1. A Nation on the Edge
Dear Brothers and Sisters, our country is not in a good condition. Every social-political model we have used shows a country that is right on the edge of disaster, a situation characterized by three main factors:
One, we have a massive labour oversupply leading to enormous unemployment and inequality. The youth who are in employment are themselves underemployed, underpaid and persistently underappreciated. The result is a growing pool of discontented Kenyans who feel death is a welcome relief from their poverty and misery.
Two, we have overproduction of elitism, with persons from all walks of life competing for political influence and patronage, largely as a conduit for engaging in corruption.
Three, Kenya is in a state of fiscal distress characterized by rising debt, weakness of institutions and governance failures.
Shall we as a nation hear the call of Jesus recorded in Revelation 3: 2?
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
2. State-Sponsored Abductions, Torture and Killings
The pain caused by the state-sponsored abductions, torture and killings of the youth is immeasurable. Kenya has indeed become a police state. Why is the government so determined to rule by fear and terror rather than simply applying the Constitution and Laws of Kenya?
We condole with all the bereaved families, and continue to pray for the injured and affected for quick recovery. Let us all continue crying out to God, being assured by the scripture in Exodus 3: 7
The Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am concerned about their suffering.
To all our young people, we urge you to condemn police brutality and stand firm in the demand for justice, accountability and good governance through peaceful demonstrations and civic engagement. The time for change is coming.
To all our clergy and church leaders, we request you to dedicate the worship services on Sunday June 29, 2025 to discuss matters on the youth, justice and accountability. Let it also be a day to mobilize material and financial support for the families that have been bereaved and the youth who have been injured or maimed in the demonstrations.
3. Framework for Manipulation of 2027 Elections
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are deeply concerned that the government is seemingly creating a framework for manipulation of the 2027 General Elections.
The blatant decision to disobey a court order and gazette the nominees for positions of Chairman and Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is a case in point. Did the President deliberately set up the nation so that the High Court nullifies the process and the country restarts the recruitment process? Is this a deliberate measure to continue denying Kenyans the right to enjoy the democracy they have fought so hard for?
As citizens, we do have an obligation to demand that the President withdraws the gazette notice to allow the court process to be completed so that the country gets a credible IEBC soonest.
Another electoral body that is under threat, Brothers and Sisters, is the Supreme Court of Kenya, which is the only organ with power to review and decide on disputes touching on presidential elections. Are the efforts being driven to remove all the Supreme Court judges meant to replace them with cronies of those in power? Is it a thinly veiled attempt to intimidate the judges to the point where they fear making independent decisions? If indeed this was an effort to cleanse the Judiciary of corruption, should it not be a radical surgery affecting the whole judiciary?
4. Economic Crisis
Brothers and Sisters, Kenya is in a state of severe fiscal distress. The situation is so severe that the government is taking away more than 50% of the income of salaried Kenyans through different taxes and levies. The business environment is so bad that businesses have relocated to neighbouring countries. To make matters worse, the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury has proposed a budget in which the government intends to spend KShs 4.29 trillion against a projected revenue collection of KShs 3.3 trillion. Where will the other trillion shillings come from? Is the government setting up Kenyans for higher taxation and more borrowing?
It is time, Brothers and Sisters, for all of us to raise our voices and demand that as a nation we live within our means, just like we do in our homes. Let us demand that the national and county governments end the culture of waste and corruption and instead focus on growing cottage industries as drivers of the economy. We must communicate that we are tired of living in government-manufactured poverty.
5. Empowerment Drives by Politicians
Brothers and Sisters, one of the biggest insults Kenyans have received from political leaders is the so-called empowerment drives. These rallies are only comparable to a farmer throwing maize seeds at a chicken so as to catch it. Why are the elected politicians so determined to avoid doing the work they were elected to do and instead want to spend all their time dishing out coins to corrupt and buy voters?
It is time, Brothers and Sisters, for us to resist the lure of a few hundred shillings and instead demand that those elected to Parliament and County Assemblies concentrate on legislative processes. Remind them that dishing out money is not part of their constitutional mandate.
In the same line, Brothers and Sisters, we need to demand that the trend of elected leaders issuing bursaries should be stopped, and that money be put in the capitation of schools so that all Kenyan children enjoy truly free education.
6. Support for Rebel Forces in Other Countries
For decades, Brothers and Sisters, Kenya was a haven of peace. We as a nation survived the waves of instability that hit African nations in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It is therefore very scary to find ourselves in a situation where our government is supporting the Rapid Support Force (RSF) in Sudan and is accused of being embroiled in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The warning in the Bible in Provers 26: 27 is very clear:
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
As Kenyans, we need to be really afraid of what will happen to Kenya when the neighbours return the favour and decide to drive violence in our country. Let us demand that the government strictly conforms with the foreign policy of non-alignment.
7. Politicians in Church Worship Services
Our church congregations, Brothers and Sisters, are sanctuaries for worship and relating with God. They were never meant to be places for self-aggrandizement and money making. God did indeed inform Aaron, as the High Priest in Israel, that he would be held responsible for any wrongs done in the sanctuary of God, as we read in Numbers 18: 1 – 7. We further learn from our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom we read in Mark 11: 15 – 17
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandize through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
We once again ask you, Brothers and Sisters, to sanitize our churches and sanctuaries and bring to an end all manner of political interests in places of worship. Refuse to sit down and listen to anyone playing politics in the church. We encourage you to hold your clergy accountable by demanding that all contributions be made secretly regardless of the giver. Let us keep our churches clean.
8. Conclusion
In conclusion, dear Brothers and Sisters, let us raise our voices and cry to God to rescue our nation, for we are on the edge of disaster. And let each of us play our part in demanding for justice, accountability and better governance from all responsibility holders. Let us continually pray and act out the words of our National Anthem:
O God of all creation, bless this our land and nation, justice be our shield and defender
May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty, plenty be found within our borders.
May God have mercy on our nation, now and always.
Signed on this 26th day of June 2025 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru
Rev Dr Elias Otieno Agola
Chairman
Rev Canon Chris Kinyanjui
General Secretary
