Kenya (MNN) — Weeks of explosive protests and clashes with police left over 40 people dead. Kenyan President William Ruto lit the fuse when he proposed a new tax bill to support the government budget. But the move would drastically spike the cost of basic goods like bread and diapers.
Young protestors flooded streets across the country, especially in the capital Nairobi.
“This is a very alarming situation in Kenya,” says Nehemiah with FMI. “Protesters now demand Parliament’s dissolution and new elections.”
FMI supports church planting and Christian discipleship ministry in Kenya. “We had a conversation with an anonymous activist from the capital of Kenya [who] reported that youth-led movement members were being abducted during the crackdown. Many journalists and social media influencers, they are being abducted from the streets.”
Kenya has a youthful population — nearly 60% are younger than 25. Kenya’s Generation Z has evidently had enough of the nation’s downward economic spiral.
Bible distribution in Kenya. (Photo courtesy of FMI)
Yet, there’s only so much hope political policies can provide. In times of unrest, it’s harder if you don’t have Christ.
Pray for the Church in Kenya to reach anxious young people with Gospel hope.
Nehemiah shares, “Our partners said, please pray for President William Ruto, government officials, and decision makers to have wisdom and discernment in addressing the financial crisis. Ask God to guide them in making just and effective decisions.
“Please pray for peace to prevail in Kenya in this financial unrest. Ask God to bring calm and stability to the nation, preventing further violence and chaos.”
Header photo of Kenyan President William Ruto. (Photo courtesy of Dean Calma/IAEA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.)
