Muheria, Anyolo appeal for calm, blame leaders for rising political intolerance

In a joint message delivered on Sunday, Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Nyeri Archdiocese and his Nairobi counterpart, Archbishop Philip Anyolo, called on President William Ruto to actively listen to the country’s youth and address their grievances through meaningful engagement.

The two prelates urged the government to prioritize justice for those who lost their lives during last year’s protests and those still recovering from injuries sustained in confrontations with law enforcement.

“With just over 60 hours to the march, our greatest call is to safeguard human life,” Archbishop Muheria said. “It does not matter what your goals are—the most urgent goal is to protect life, uplift the poor, and listen to one another.”

Archbishop Anyolo echoed the sentiment, stressing the Church’s unwavering belief in the sanctity of life. “We have no right at any time to take the life of another. As Catholics, we believe life begins at conception—and that belief compels us to care even for mothers who mourn children killed in such unrest,” he said.

The archbishops also had a message for the youth—urging them to tone down hardline positions and engage constructively in building the nation, while warning political leaders against incendiary rhetoric that fuels division and violence.

“To our young people, we ask for a spirit of unity,” Muheria pleaded. “Let us walk together and find solutions as we mourn those who died.”

“Political leaders must avoid recklessness in speech,” added Anyolo. “As our national anthem reminds us, we must speak with each other to live together as one nation.”

The clergy’s call comes amid growing concern over how authorities have handled protests in recent years, with repeated allegations of police brutality and unlawful killings. The archbishops urged the state to uphold constitutional principles when managing public dissent.