Mentor your children, cops not trained in parenting – Ruto

President William Ruto at the Africa Inland Church Bomani, Machakos county, during the installation of Bishop Benjamin Kalanzo/PCS

President William Ruto has urged parents to take a more active role in raising and mentoring their children, cautioning against what he described as a growing tendency to abdicate parental duties and leave discipline to the police.

Speaking in Machakos on Sunday, the President appeared to link the recent Gen Z-led protests—some of which were marred by looting and vandalism—to what he termed as a breakdown in parenting.

“Don’t abdicate your parenting responsibility. Don’t delegate it to the church or the government. Parenting is a duty given to parents by God,” Ruto told a congregation during the consecration and installation of Africa Inland Church (AIC) Machakos area Bishop Benjamin Kalanzo at AIC Bomani Masaku Service Grounds.

In remarks that appeared both pastoral and pointed, Ruto warned that the absence of parental guidance had contributed to the unrest witnessed in recent weeks.

“The police are trained to deal with criminals; they are not trained to parent. So, if you surrender your children to the police, what do you expect?” he posed.

The President called for a collective approach to raising morally upright and responsible citizens, urging not just parents but also churches and communities to play their part.

“Parents, let us mentor our children. Let us take responsibility. Let us talk to them and guide them. The church must also work with us,” Ruto said.

While reaffirming his government’s commitment to providing access to quality education and healthcare, the President made it clear that character formation begins at home.

“We will provide education; we will make sure they have quality health. Parents, make sure you do your part; the church, make sure our children are morally straight,” he said.

His remarks come in the wake of nationwide Gen Z protests, which have left at least 38 young people dead during the Saba Saba demonstrations alone.

The protests, driven by anger over unfulfilled campaign promises, especially on youth employment, were marred by clashes with police, destruction of property, arson and looting.

The government has since launched a crackdown targeting young people accused of using social media to share critical or derogatory content.

The operation has been widely condemned over alleged abductions, torture, and deaths in police custody. Among the most high-profile cases was that of blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody at Nairobi Central police station after being arrested for allegedly defaming Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.

Ruto steered clear of directly addressing the crackdowns but called on political leaders not to exploit the frustrations of the youth for personal gain.

“There are leaders who want chaos so they can advance their political ambitions. We must not allow them to exploit our youth,” he said.

He described Kenya’s young people as the country’s greatest asset, brimming with talent, energy and potential.

“Let us be responsible. Our children are the biggest asset Kenya has,” the President added.

Ruto also defended his administration against accusations of over-promising during the 2022 campaign, insisting that his vision was to raise Kenya’s ambitions.

“I want to state that it is not about over-promising; we are raising our national ambition. Those saying I am not fulfilling my pledges — I will prove them wrong,” he said.

“For too long, the ambitions and dreams of Kenyans have been average. We must strive to be better and aim for excellence. That is my mission.”

The religious ceremony was presided over by AIC Presiding Bishop Abraham Mulwa, where Bishop Benjamin Kalanzo officially took over from the retired Bishop Philip Muia.

Amos Ndunda was installed as Assistant Bishop. Among the dignitaries present were Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, and MPs Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West) and Vincent Musyoka (Mwala).

INSTANT ANALYSIS

President William Ruto has called on parents to take full responsibility for raising their children, cautioning against abdicating that role to other institutions like the government or the church.

Ruto stressed that while the government is committed to providing access to quality education and healthcare, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents to nurture and mentor their children. He also encouraged churches and communities to support moral development.

The President also warned against the manipulation of children and youth for political gain, stating that no one should misuse or incite the young into violence.