A day after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops criticized the government over high taxation and alleged unfulfilled promises, President William Ruto responded on Friday, urging the clergy to be factual in their statements.
Speaking at the inaugural graduation ceremony of Tangaza University, a Catholic Church-owned institution, Ruto stressed the importance of presenting facts accurately. Although he didn’t directly mention the bishops, his comments appeared to address the clergy’s recent criticism, in which they accused the government of “telling lies.”
“Even as we engage in public discourse on issues that matter to Kenyans, we must be careful to be factual, lest we fall victim to the very things we accuse others of… I know you know what I mean,” Ruto remarked.
On Thursday, the Catholic Church raised concerns, warning that the country was headed in the wrong direction and called for an end to alleged state-sanctioned abductions.
While acknowledging the government’s reliance on taxes for revenue, the bishops expressed concerns over what they termed as excessive taxation burdening citizens.
They also urged the government to fulfill its promises, particularly on payments to essential service providers, which they said was harming vulnerable communities.
The bishops highlighted the financial challenges faced by faith-based hospitals, which they claimed are owed billions in dues by NHIF. “This is an issue we have raised repeatedly, even with the president,” the KCCB noted.
The bishops’ remarks prompted swift responses from government officials and allied leaders. Cabinet Secretaries for Education (Julius Migosi) and Health (Debra Barasa) issued statements to counter the clergy’s claims.
Education CS Migosi refuted the bishops’ assertion that the education sector was in crisis, particularly emphasizing that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and higher education funding were operating effectively.
“The government has taken proactive steps and invested significantly to ensure the successful implementation of CBC. This cannot be described as a sector in decline,” Migosi stated.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot also hit back, challenging the bishops’ accusations of corruption among legislators.
They called on the clergy to provide any evidence of corruption to investigative agencies.
“Dear Catholic bishops, let us be honest. If you have information on corrupt legislators, please share it with investigative agencies or publicly name them,” Ichung’wah said.
