Kenya Kwanza Leaders Flee Church Event as Protesters Gather in Nyahururu

A group of Kenya Kwanza lawmakers and officials who joined President William Ruto at a church event in Nyahururu town on Sunday quickly left the venue to steer clear of a potential clash with demonstrators.

The leaders quietly slipped away from the school to sidestep any confrontation with the youth gathered outside. President Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, and other prominent Kenya Kwanza figures had attended the installation of the Anglican Church of Kenya’s third bishop, Major Samson Mburu. The protesters chanted slogans demanding Ruto’s removal from office and rejection of the Finance Bill. Armed with Kenyan flags and placards, they sought to draw attention to their grievances.

As the situation escalated, the political leaders were forced to make a hasty retreat. In a chaotic scene, MPs scattered in search of their vehicles, with some resorting to boarding any available car to escape the growing unrest. The presidential escort team quickly evacuated President Ruto upon realizing the protesters had gathered at the gates. Inside the church, Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit had already taken measures to maintain the sanctity of the religious space. He prohibited more than 20 politicians accompanying President Ruto from addressing the congregation, a decision respected by both Ruto and Gachagua in their speeches.

Despite the tense atmosphere, President Ruto acknowledges the youth’s protest against the Finance Bill. He expresses pride in their activism and promises to address their concerns by allocating funds to the Constituency Development Fund for bursaries and higher education support. The President also took the opportunity to emphasize the church’s crucial role in national development and announced plans to employ 20,000 teachers in the coming financial year. Deputy Gachagua echoed the ACK leadership’s stance on separating politics from religious affairs, stressing the importance of maintaining goodwill and avoiding divisive politics within the church context.