Youth Arise to Rebuild Kenya
Press Statement
Preamble
The NCCK Western Region has held a two-day governance and electoral scenario building forum at County Green Resort, Bungoma, bringing together member-church delegates from Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega and Vihiga counties. During the forum, the delegates reflected on the application of the message in Nehemiah 2: 17 to our context in Kenya:
Then I said to them, You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.
1. Kenya is in Danger of Dying
When Kenyans promulgated the Constitution in 2010, they anticipated a break from past oppression and suffering and an emergence of a utopia that was described very vividly in the Preamble:
Recognizing the aspiration of all Kenyans for a government based on the essential values of human rights, equality, freedom, democracy, social justice and the rule of law.
Disappointingly, this is not the Kenya we are living in fifteen years after the Constitution came into force. The situation in the country is horrifying and devastating, as is revealed by a review of the state of the nation:
One, poverty is rapidly increasing across the country. The rapid rise in taxation is taking away more than 56% of an individual’s income, coupled with increase in unemployment due to closure of companies, has radically reduced the amount of money in circulation.
Two, Kenya is suffocating under a heavy burden of national debt which currently stands at Kshs 12.6 trillion. What did the government do with all this money if it was not all stolen? The Auditor General has time and again reported that they have found no evidence the money even got to Kenya. As it stands, Kenya is spending 68% of its income to pay non-existent debts.
Three, crime is rising steadily as more and more people turn to thievery to make ends meet. It is a sad reality that political leaders are encouraging this status as they pay the youth to form gangs that they use to fight their opponents.
Four, the judicial system is collapsing, and we are back to dark days where law enforcement and court rulings are on sale to the highest payers. For how long can Kenyans who are deprived of their rights sit back and watch the political class steal the national wealth while killing those who protest?
Five, even though the Constitution says that Kenya is a multi-party democracy, the political class has literally killed this primary foundation of the nation by turning it into a “government of the rich few by intimidation and violence against the people”. The open bribery, violence and intimidation are building a high level of apathy in which Kenyans no longer believe elections are an option for putting leaders of their choice in office.
Six, healthcare has failed. Kenyans across the country are back to the days of holding harambees every day to cover medical costs despite being forced and coerced to enroll on the Social Health Insurance Fund. We are today looking back to the days of the National Hospital Insurance Fund with nostalgia.
Seven, the government is killing education by failing to remit the capitation funds to schools, and when the funds are released, they come late and are heavily reduced. Further, university education has been crippled by failure to pay lecturers or fund the institutions. How will a semi-literate generation turn Kenya into a first world country?
2. Elect the Right Leaders
Recognizing the importance of political leadership, God has given clear guidelines as recorded in Deuteronomy 1: 13
Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.
If Kenya is to be set on the right path again, we must have the right leaders in place at all the elective levels, from the Member of County Assembly to the President. We cannot continue recycling the same clique of individuals and their cronies and expect things to get better.
We appeal to all Kenyans to carefully and prayerfully prepare for the 2027 General Elections. Stop listening to all the political noise and identify men and women who are ready and equipped to make Kenya a nation founded on justice, constitutionalism and rule of law. Always keep in mind the wisdom Jesus shared in Matthew 7: 16 – 19
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
3. Youth, Occupy the Church
In June 2024, the youth in Kenya came of age when they correctly diagnosed the problem facing our nation and offered a viable solution. As the youth offered to do at that time, we welcome them to occupy the NCCK member churches. We recall that the persons who emerge as the leaders of each generation are nurtured in the church. As such, the church is ready to be the incubator where the leaders of the new Kenya are nurtured and matured. We are not at war with the youth, recognizing that God expects the young and old to work together, as we read in Joel 2: 28
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
On this journey of your emergence as the leaders of Kenya, we appeal to you to resist the temptation to accept small bribes and tokens from politicians. Why accept KShs 500 from a politician so that he can go and steal KShs 500 million from you? Why allow a person to donate a million shillings to your church or group so that they get a chance to go steal a trillion shillings from the nation? We must all learn to say No to those who make us poor so that they can trap us with tokens the way farmers use maize seeds to trap chicken.
4. Hold Every Leader Accountable
In the meantime, we challenge all citizens to hold every leader, whether elected or appointed, accountable for delivery of their mandate. Do not condone corruption and mediocrity, and do not allow anyone to misuse their position or oppress the people. The Bible is very clear on this account, as we read in 2 Samuel 23: 3 – 4
When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.
Stand up for your rights, for no one can oppress you without you allowing them.
5. No Politics on the Pulpit
On our part, we commit to faithfully enforce the guidelines that were issued by the NCCK Executive Committee on ministering to politicians. In this regard, we will ensure:
One, all politicians who attend worship services will be treated the same way as all other worshippers
Two, all contributions will be treated as offerings and will not be announced or given with ceremony
Three, no politicians will be allowed to speak to congregants inside the church and will instead be advised to address people outside the church building after the service
Four, as church leaders we will not endorse or oppose any political leader or party, and will only be partisan to fighting for justice and peace
6. Say No to Non Communicable Diseases
In what is clearly a deliberate measure to make Kenyans suffer, the national and county governments are allowing the sale and marketing of unhealthy foods that have caused a sharp rise in the prevalence of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). These are foods that are high in sugar, salt and non-saturated fats, which are a leading factor in being diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. So serious is this situation that 55% of hospitalizations and 39% of deaths in Kenya are caused by Non-Communicable Diseases. Due to the inadequacies of the Social Health Authority (SHA), families are getting bankrupt as they try to care for relatives who contract one or more of the Non-Communicable Diseases.
To remedy this, we call upon the Ministry of Health to:
One, declare Non-Communicable Diseases a national emergency so that adequate human and financial resources are allocated to the sector
Two, finalize and enforce regulations barring marketing of foods that are high in sugar, salt and unsaturated fats especially during the times children would be consuming media
Three, pass the regulations requiring every food producer to include Front of Pack Warning Labels when the food product is high in sugar, salt or non-saturated fats
Conclusion
We conclude by reminding all Kenyans that we cannot continue on this downward spiral of electing bad leaders when expecting good, then replace them with their cronies and get disappointed when things get worse. Let us hear the message God told Moses and the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 2: 3
You have made your way around this hill country long enough, now turn north.
It is time we as Kenyans break from the past and move on to the future. Let us embrace the vision and leadership of the youth and walk with them into the better Kenya we all aspire for.
We wish you all a Jesus-centered and merry Christmas and a God-focused and justice-founded New Year 2026.
Signed on this 29th day of November 2025 at County Green Resort, Bungoma
PC Seth Agala
Chairman, NCCK Western Region
