The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has urged the government to take immediate and decisive action to address the growing killings of women in the country.
In a joint statement read by its Chairperson, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia, the clerics decried the rising wave of violence, noting that it has shaken families across the nation.
The KCCB highlighted the brutal murders, injuries, and disappearances of women, many of which have occurred following the June 2024 Gen-Z demonstrations.
“We decry the increasing murder of women. This has caused great consternation, anger, and disgust,” said Muhatia said on Thursday.
“Many families are still grappling with the loss of their loved ones—their children who were brutally killed, injured, or went missing during the violent clashes at the demonstrations.”
The bishops urged the government to prioritize the safety and protection of women, stressing that it is the state’s constitutional responsibility to ensure the right to life for all citizens.
They reminded the authorities that the Constitution of Kenya mandates the protection of life, dignity, and security for every individual, regardless of gender or social standing.
The bishops also appealed to the wider Kenyan society to stand in solidarity with the victims of violence, particularly women, and to work together to address the root causes of such brutality.
They also highlighted concerns on the heightened corruption, the rampant abductions, the political rifts, the unfulfilled promises and the various shortcomings in the new Health Authority.
“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 KCCB chairperson Maurice Muhatia remarked in a statement.
Further, he added, “We have made clear statements many times in the recent past with very little response from the government. Despite the calmness we are experiencing there is a lot of anxiety, and most people are losing trust in the government.”
Consequently, the Bishops raised several concerns, including the political rifts within the government, which have fueled tensions and deepened divisions among the people. They also highlighted how these conflicts have fostered an atmosphere of distrust both among citizens and within the government itself.
In addition, the Chairperson noted that country is troubled by the insensitivity manifested by the legislators in carrying out their tasks.
Moreover, he registered dissatisfaction citing that the elected leaders have allowed themselves to be captured and compromised in corrupt deals.
“Corruption may not always involve financial benefits but the unjust use of position, and authority or abusive use of offices,” he elaborated.
He further lamented, “The massive greed we are experiencing, is shocking and heartbreaking.”
Subsequently, violation of human rights and freedom of speech formed part of the concerns raised by the KCCB. The chairperson highlighted on the abductions, and disappearances, torture, and killings of Kenyans which have seemed to be recurring.
