The ACK Butere diocese bishop Rose Okeno led youths in the diocese to condole with families who lost their loved ones in the recent protests against the 2024 Finance bill. In her remarks, she condemned the police officers for using excessive force on Gen Z members in last week’s protests.
Many people succumbed to police bullets while others are still undergoing medical attention in various hospitals in the country.
Bishop Okeno blamed the police for their act while asking the Independent Police Oversight Authority to investigate the deaths and ensure accountability while calling for full compensation to their families.
“As a church, we condole with families of those who lost innocent Kenyans due to police brutality including those who were abducted. Until now, some of the families are still in search of their loved ones. This is absurd,” complained the bishop.
“Today, we join in mourning for lives lost during the peaceful demonstrations last week in various parts of the country against the unpopular Finance Bill 2024, which has since been suspended. Matters that would have been discussed through dialogue between Kenyans have brought about deaths and suffering to innocent people while the business community is counting losses,” she explained.
Speaking during a lighting candle prayer service in remembering those who died during the protests and those who were injured, Bishop. Okeno urged the government to invest more energy in protecting the lives of its citizens instead of killing them.
“Those young souls didn’t have to die in the hands of those who should have safeguarded them. We didn’t have to hurt and break them. We didn’t have to shed such innocent blood. This unfortunate situation reminds us of what God said to Cain after he killed his brother, in the book of Genesis 4:10-11 “Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand,” explained Rev. Okeno.
She used the opportunity to ask the government to carefully listen to the plight of Gen Zs and understand their needs.
“We call on the government to execute it’s mandate of protecting the lives of Kenyans by not allowing such acts to repeat but instead embracing dialogue and listening to the voices of dissent.
Rt. Rev. Okeno also used the youth rally service to pray for Kenyan’s sufficient grace to overcome the darkest moment exhibited in the country.
“A moment when the prophecy of Isaiah quoted in Mathew 2:18 becomes real: A voice was heard in Ramah of painful crying and deep sadness: Rachel crying for her children. She refused to be comforted because her children are dead,” she referred to a biblical scripture.
The bishop also called on the youth under the umbrella of Gen Z to maintain peace and calmness in their pursuit of justice and accountability.
Additionally, The Rt. Rev. Okeno also took a swipe at the president and his deputy on a political tiff that seemed to divide their unity. She blamed the 2 who she said seemed to be pulling in the opposite direction instead of building unity.
“It is becoming clear that our president William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua are not reading from the same script. That is a dangerous trajectory for the nation. Let them work together as our leaders and speak from the same script,” she advised.
