All eyes on the church as clergy release Finance Bill sermon guidelines

All eyes are on churches nationwide over how the ongoing contention due to the Finance Bill 2024 plays out on the pulpit on Sunday.

Ahead of Sunday’s services, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has called on all member churches to show solidarity with Kenyans in challenging the contentious proposed law.

In a statement, NCCK Secretary-General Canon Chris Kinyanjui noted that it is time for the church to actively engage in the fight against the Bill from the pulpit.

He urged churches not to remain mum on the national matter, which has already seen Kenyan youth taking the streets to protest and call for the shooting down of the Bill.

"Quite notably, the youth have taken a keen interest and are driving the public resistance to the provisions in the Finance Bill 2024 that are imposing harsh taxation," said Reverend Kinyanjui.

"It is now prudent that we take the message of peace and justice to the church platforms, primarily the pulpit. In this way, the NCCK and member churches will contribute to justice, peace, resilience and sustainability of the nation."

NCCK urged churches to adopt five sermon guides addressing the Bill's change while calling the government to action.

Rev Kinyanjui added that the sermon guides will share messages that promote peace, justice, dignified livelihoods and resilient communities.

The messages will explore thematic areas including "enhancing productivity", "being fair in taxation", and "being just in making laws and policies".

Other guides include "making life easier, not harder", and "listen, else you destroy the nation".

"We need to emphasize to the government, and moreso His Excellency the President, the need to listen to the people. The people are going through a difficult situation and they are expressing themselves. But are they being heard?" read the statement in part.

NCCK’s statement comes days after the Holy Family Basilica was criticized for denying entry to protestors seeking refuge from the police during last week’s anti-Finance Bill demonstrations in Nairobi.

The incident sparked a debate about the role of religious institutions in times of social unrest.

In their defence, the Basilica, which is the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, explained that its primary concern was the safety and welfare of its students attending the Holy Family Minor Basilica Catholic Parochial School within its compound.

The protests, dubbed #OccupyParliament and #RejecttheFinanceBill2024, are driven by Kenya's young generation and have so far led to the death of two individuals and tens more injured.

To further frustrate politicians who voted in favour of the Bill during its second reading on Thursday, the protest's organisers have proposed an #OccupyChurches march to prevent any of the legislators from addressing the faithful in the churches they will attend.

On Sunday, President William Ruto is scheduled to attend a church service at the ACK Nyahururu Diocese in Nakuru County.

Protestors have however already sent warnings to churches that they will be shouting down politicians who support the controversial Bill.

In messages sent to the ACK priest, he has been reminded of the role of the church in what the protesters call a corrupt government.

Similar messages have been sent to St. Francis Assis Catholic Church in Kapchepkoima, where Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen will be leading a fundraiser in aid of the expansion of the church.

Among those who have already faced the wrath of Kenyans are Sports CS Ababu Namwamba, who was jeered at a Nairobi hotel on Friday night and Nyali MP Mohamed Ali who despite skipping the voting session, his constituents reportedly stopped his convoy and denounced him.

A week-long protest is set to commence on Monday, June 23 under the hashtag, #totalshutdown.

Dubbed '7 days of rage', the demonstrations will also serve as a warning to Members of Parliament who voted in support of the Bill against the will of their respective constituents.

They are also meant to coerce multi-agency bodies to probe incidences of police brutality meted out by protesters.