The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), led by its president, Pastor Elias Otieno Agora, outlined pressing issues that the government must address, including healthcare, education and the rising cost of living.
“Kenyans are a devastated people,” the council, which represents 32 church groups and 18 Christian groups, declared in a statement on December 4, 2025. “In every assessment that NCCK has conducted in nine regions and here at the national level, more than 80% of the public say the country is heading in the wrong direction.”
The findings paint a bleak picture. More than 79% of respondents reported feeling depressed or unhappy. About 77% said they are poorer now than they were a year ago.
The council also criticized the failures of oversight bodies, including political leaders. More than 60% of those surveyed said they would not re-elect current political leaders, from county legislators to the president.
“This state of despair and discontent caused by injustice is not sustainable,” the council warned. “If Kenyans do not rise up and save their country, even the constitutional and legal bonds that bind the country will fall apart. Let us be moved to action by the direction God has given us in Deuteronomy 18:20.”
For the past two years, the country has seen nationwide protests known as the Gen Z protests due to the large-scale participation of young people. Demonstrations broke out over the cost of living and widespread corruption.
In June 2024, young Kenyans took to the streets to denounce a new bill that introduces new tax measures that will further exacerbate job shortages and rising costs of living amid economic hardship. Human rights activists reported that the state responded with extrajudicial killings and kidnappings as church leaders called on young people not to give up their demands for better leadership.
“Every generation in human history faces challenges that must be overcome in order for society to progress,” the statement said. “It is in this context that in June 2024, young Kenyans successfully diagnosed the problems facing the country and offered viable solutions.Young people must realize that the elderly, who make up less than 30% of the population, will not create the Kenya you want to live in. You have to do it yourself.”
The 2025 Afrobarometer survey (report ‘AD988’) revealed that 43% of young Kenyans aged between 18 and 35 are actively looking for work, a much higher proportion than older age groups. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2022), this age group constitutes 36% of the population.
“The cost of living in Kenya is too high and the impact is devastating,” church leaders wrote. “The exit of several companies due to a toxic business environment has led to mass unemployment, a significant decline in the purchasing power of the population, and the collapse of small and medium-sized enterprises.”
The impact is serious. Children dropping out of school, family instability, depression, gender-based violence, and increased crime as desperate people steal to make ends meet.
“It is a sad reality that even though people are suffering, the government continues to release reports implying economic growth,” they added.
The NCCK accused the parliamentarians of betraying Kenyans instead of representing their interests in enacting laws. Church leaders argued that parliamentarians had lost their legitimacy and had become perpetrators of injustice by enacting laws that harmed ordinary citizens.
The letter also directed churches across the country to work with politicians in a way that protects the church’s reputation and prevents political divisions within congregations.
The council issued strict guidelines to reduce political influence in places of worship. Politicians attending religious services will now be treated like any other believer. Monetary donations are treated as regular donations without ceremony or official recognition.
Under the new guidelines, politicians will no longer be able to address worshipers during religious services. If you wish to speak, you must do so outside the church after the service. The leaders emphasized that the church does not support or oppose any politician or political party, and demonstrated a firm commitment to keeping the pulpit free from partisan politics.
The letter concludes with the words of Micah 6:8. “Oh, the Lord has taught you what is good. And what does He require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
