ACK church leaders warn against corruption, rights abuses and toxic 2027 politics

By Evans Mutinda & Violet Kerubo

NAIROBI, September 24, 2026 .
The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has issued a wide-ranging warning over the state of the country, raising concerns about corruption, economic hardship, human rights violations, disaster preparedness and what it described as an increasingly toxic political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The message was issued by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Synod of the ACK after a three-day meeting held between September 22 and 24, 2026, under the theme “A Wholesome Ecology for a Wholesome Nation.”
Drawing from Isaiah 60:19, the church said its responsibility extended beyond spiritual matters to the moral, social, political and economic wellbeing of the country.
The church said Kenya could not be considered wholesome where corruption flourishes, truth is suppressed, public institutions are weakened and citizens lose hope.
“Silence in the face of suffering is not neutrality; it is complicity,” the church said.
The ACK commended its dioceses, schools, parishes and communities for participating in tree-planting initiatives, saying more than 30 million trees had been planted recently across the province and the country.
However, it warned that environmental conservation must go hand in hand with social justice.
“Planting trees while uprooting justice is hypocrisy,” the church said, insisting that care for creation must be matched by care for humanity.

Economic hardship.
The church acknowledged efforts to stabilise the economy but said millions of Kenyans continued to face unemployment, rising costs of living ,struggling businesses and an increasing tax burden.
It urged the government to review policies that deepen hardship and ensure public resources are protected from theft, waste and abuse.
“Economic policy must be judged not only by statistics but by the impact on human dignity,” the church said.
It added that citizens should not be expected to make sacrifices while corruption and impunity persisted.

Human rights concerns

The ACK also raised concerns over reports of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, restrictions on fundamental freedoms, discrimination and denial of social and economic rights.
The church called for independent investigations, justice for victims and protection for human rights defenders, journalists and religious leaders.
It said the government had a duty to uphold the rule of law and guarantee equal protection for all citizens.

El Niño preparedness.

With the country preparing for anticipated El Niño rains and extreme weather, the church welcomed preparedness efforts by national and county governments but warned against waiting for disasters to occur before responding.
It called for adequate infrastructure, emergency response mechanisms and relief supplies to be put in place before heavy rains arrive.
Schools, hospitals and settlements in high-risk areas, it said, should receive adequate protection.
The church also encouraged families to plant trees, heed official weather warnings and relocate from high-risk areas where necessary.
It urged churches to prepare to open their facilities to people displaced by floods and other disasters.
“Preparedness is wisdom,” the church said.

Church opposes rush on Basic Education Bill.

The church also weighed in on the proposed Basic Education Bill, 2026, calling for broader consultation before Parliament proceeds with legislation affecting millions of children.
The call comes as stakeholders have been pushing for changes to the proposed Bill, which seeks to replace the existing legal framework governing basic education.

The ACK expressed particular concern over provisions it said could affect the sponsorship rights of faith-based organisations in schools.
It called on Parliament to pause any rushed process and facilitate meaningful engagement involving teachers, parents, faith communities, education experts, school sponsors and other stakeholders.
Under the existing Basic Education framework, sponsors have defined roles in areas including curriculum recommendations, representation in school management and spiritual development.

Warning over 2027 politics

The strongest political message from the church focused on the atmosphere ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The ACK said Kenya was already witnessing a premature and increasingly toxic political environment, warning against inflammatory rhetoric, ethnic polarisation, political disruption and the mobilisation of unemployed youth for political conflict.
It said Kenya had experienced the consequences of election-related violence and division before and urged political leaders to lower temperatures and reject incitement.
The church particularly condemned the use of young people as instruments of political confrontation.
“No office is worth the blood of Kenyans. No ambition justifies violence,” it said.
The ACK urged security agencies to act impartially and uphold the rule of law without fear or favour.
It also called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to undertake early preparations for elections that are free, fair, transparent, credible and verifiable.
The church said peaceful elections could not be secured through last-minute preparations, urging all political actors and state institutions to begin laying the groundwork for a credible electoral process well before 2027.
The ACK said the fight against corruption must remain central to national governance, warning that corruption deprives hospitals of medicine, schools of books, young people of opportunities and families of resources.
The church’s latest intervention follows previous ACK statements on the state of the nation, which have similarly addressed governance and national concerns.