Cleric tells Ruto to take responsibility for state brutality

Activist Boniface Mwangi was roughed up by anti-riot police officers along Koinange Street during a protest in memory of lives lost during the Gen-Z demonstrations on July 25, 2024. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Anglican Church of Kenya priest has challenged President William Ruto to take responsibility for atrocities meted against Kenyans by the current and previous administrations.

Reverend Stephen Satale Norman of St James ACK Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, yesterday asked the president to also carry the sins of all his predecessors since the country attained independence in 1963.

The archdeacon, however, challenged the president to be bold enough and confront the challenges facing Kenyans, saying he cannot run away from them.

Rev Norman, who delivered the sermon at St Peter's ACK Church Bura in Mwatate sub county, noted that Kenyans have been shedding blood during elections, including 2022 and a lasting solution must be found to end the occurrence.

He advised Ruto and politicians to embrace prayer and repent.

"We have been shedding blood in every General Election, and it is time for the president and Kenyans to come together, pray and repent for the sins committed by the current and previous administrations for the country to heal," he said.

Present were Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime, Woman Representative Lydia Haika and MPs Peter Shake (Mwatate), Abdi Chome (Voi), Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi) and John Bwire (Taveta), several MCAs and former legislators.

The cleric warned that the country is in a dark period once again and the President and Kenyans must commit to prayer.

He reminded Ruto and faithful that in 1982, Kenyans shed blood during an attempted coup against the late President Daniel Arap Moi's government.

Norman noted that between 2007 and 2008, Kenyans shed blood following a disputed presidential election.

The priest said in 2013, Kenyans turned against each other when former President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner following disputed polls.

He regretted that for the past one month, police have shot dead 50 people during anti-government protests by Gen Z and property of unknown value destroyed.

The cleric said the doom period hit Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, Libya, Congo and Uganda, among others, and every effort should be made to defend Kenya's stability.

"We have been shedding blood since the struggle for independence to date with no solutions found by the leaders we elect, and God has now called us as Kenyans to defend our Grace period," said the priest.

He said the president sacked his entire Cabinet because it did not only deliver to the expectations of Kenyans but also refused to be the servants of the people.

"We should now move away from the season of doom, suffering and tribulation to the season of grace period," he said, adding that the history of change is Jesus Christ.

"Gen Z has already spoken, and this is the time for the country and leader to reason together. We should not shed blood over issues that can be addressed by the President," he added.

"When the president was sworn in as the head of state, he lifted the Bible and prayed. Pray for yourself and for the sins committed by your predecessors to heal the nation. Gen Z did their part, and you should also do yours for the nation to move forward."

"We should not burn our country but engage ourselves in prayer. It is time to cry together and heal the nation together," he said.

Norman warned elected leaders who are not performing to expectation that their days are numbered.

"There are elected leaders who are engaging in infidelity. Before their election, they were humble when looking for votes, but today they are moving around with tinted vehicles," he said.