Do not use politics to solve economic, governance issues, lobby warns state

Kenya’s economic problems cannot be solved politically, a religious organisation has said.

The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya said on Tuesday economic problems need economic solutions.

“Looking for political solutions to an economic problem and a problem of governance is not practical,” IRCK executive director Abdirahman Ismail said.

He spoke in Mombasa during the Interfaith Youth Integrity Awards Gala 2024.

The awards presented an opportunity for youth to showcase their creativity and talent in advocating against corruption in the health sector.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has identified the sector as being second most corrupt.

Ismail said the Gen Z protests showed youth have had enough of corruption and a political reshuffle will do little to stem the vice if accountability will not be realised.

He said, however, all is not lost and the Gen Z efforts will not be in vain.

“Many of them died, some are still in hospital and some will never walk again. But they did not do that because they hate certain people or a section of leaders, they just wanted good governance in the country and that will happen in one way or another,” Ismail said.

He said there are many ways of registering displeasure and the Gen Z protests are one of the high pitch forms of them.

Ismail said youth can also showcase their talents while calling out the corrupt as another way of registering displeasure.

Bishop Amos Lewa condemned corruption, saying that is why they, as religious leaders, have come up with different programmes to sensitise the public against graft.

“In the programmes we involve the youth because they have the energy, education and capability to solve problems affecting them,” the clergyman said.

Lewa said the way the Gen Zs have shown their commitment to holding leaders accountable, they are confident they will not allow themselves to be used negatively by the political class.

He said time has come for the youth to work with religious leaders to tackle societal problems.

Omar Chai, a youth, said there is grand corruption in the health sector and youth must use all of their creativity to speak out against it.

“We must use our creativity to bring positive change in society, not only going to the streets but also using other forms of creativity and art,” he said.

Chai said corruption has greatly impacted youth in many ways, including failure to get jobs because youth do not have the means to grease hands so they can get employment.

“Corruption has prevented us from investing,” he said.

Mombasa county commissioner Mohamed Noor said Kenya must eradicate corruption for citizens to enjoy better health services.

He said it is important to work with youth to keep peace even during protests.

“When protesting, youth need to be organised and peaceful to avoid giving room for goons to take over,” Noor said.

This comes in the wake of planned protests on Thursday dubbed ‘Nane Nane’.

He said when youth grasp the constitutional knowledge, they will know how to do things to ensure they get deserved services and where to go to agitate for those services.

“That is why the President has indicated they will be changing the law to ensure prosecution of corruption cases takes a maximum of six months,” Noor said.

“No more dragging cases for years when people get tired and forget about them and in the end the perpetrators are allowed to go scot free."

Mombasa county youth executive Kenneth Ambani said it is important for both levels of government to listen to and work with youth to understand their needs.

He said corruption is the core factor that led to the Gen Zs taking to the streets.

“Their parents can no longer take them to school because the money that is supposed to be in their pockets has been embezzled,” Ambani said.