June 28 (UPI) — Religious leaders from the Interreligious Council of Kenya found themselves at the center of the recent anti-tax protests in Nairobi. They played a quiet role in defusing the violence.
Two unarmed protesters were shot and killed by Kenyan police during a week of nationwide peaceful protests prior to last week’s violence.
The IRCK came out in support of the protesters on June 24 at a press conference widely covered by the Kenyan media. They demanded the withdrawal of the tax bill, termed its measures “punitive” for Kenyans already overburdened by rising living costs, and called for an investigation into what they said was police use of excessive force.
“This is not a push of the youth alone,” said Catholic Bishop Willybard Lagho, chairman of the IRCK. “Over 85 percent of Kenyans stand in solidarity with the youth.”
IRCK is a coalition of nine religious organizations representing Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Hindus.
The government response the next day on June 25 was to pass the bill in Parliament, precipitating a violent attack on the Parliament building. Security was breached and parts of the building set on fire. More protesters were killed in clashes with riot police. Nationwide, 23 protesters are estimated to have been killed in the protests.
In a nationally televised address that evening, President William Ruto promised a tough security crackdown, calling the attack on Parliament “treasonous” and its perpetrators “criminals.”
This placed the ICRK in a difficult position. They were co-convenors of the Global Peace Leadership Conference Africa 2024, due to open the next day with Ruto as one of the speakers. Protesters already were circulating messages under #OccupyRadissonBlu, the conference hotel.
The ICRK and Global Peace Foundation, the main organizer of GPLC events worldwide, faced a grim prospect. The president would bring heavy security. There likely would be further violent clashes with protesters and more deaths.
To avoid such a tragedy, GPF leaders, including founder and chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, and ICRK leaders worked late into the night to craft a solution. (Moon also is chairman of UCI, a D.C. non-profit corporation that owns the parent company of United Press International.)
They decided to cancel the opening session and informed the State House, the official residence of the president in Kenya, of their concerns. The State House agreed, and word was put out through social media that the president would not be going to the Radisson Blu.
In place of the opening session, religious leaders held a prayer meeting. They agreed that any protesters who did show up would be invited in to join them in prayer for the peace and healing of Kenya.
Later that Wednesday, Ruto gave a second nationally televised address in which he completely reversed his stand of the previous evening. He said he had heard the voices of the protesters and conceded to them.
He did not sign the Finance Bill into law but sent it back to Parliament with the request that they strip all the clauses relating to higher taxes.
He declared himself ready to enter a dialogue over the concerns of the people. And the ICRK remains ready to help facilitate such a dialogue.