Catholic bishops condemn police use of excessive force

The Catholic Church has expressed concern over persistent human rights abuses by the police and urged the security agents to uphold the constitution.

The Kenya Catholic Bishops Conference decried crimes against human dignity like the use of excessive force against unarmed citizens, harassment and arbitrary arrests.

They expressed alarm over “the shrinking civic and democratic space” in the country.

In a statement issued during the launch of this year’s Lenten campaign, the bishops said true peace cannot exist without justice.

The event was held at the Immaculate Conception Shrine in the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar on Friday.

Lent is a 40-day special Christian period of prayer, fasting and charity that starts on Ash Wednesday.

“We are deeply concerned over increased violation of human rights, including excessive use of force by security agencies, arbitrary arrests, harassment of citizens, and the shrinking of civic and democratic space,” the bishops said.

“We are particularly disturbed by incidents where peaceful gatherings, including in places of worship, have been violated through violence and intimidation by hired goons in the presence of security officers.”

Churches are sacred places and must always be respected, they said. “Lobbing tear gas canisters at worshippers inside the church is a gross violation of the constitutional right to worship provided under Article 32 of the Constitution of Kenya. We demand thorough investigation and prosecution of all those engaging in political thuggery, including their sponsors.”

The clerics said the use of force against unarmed citizens, including women, children and the elderly, is unacceptable and condemned such heinous acts.

They urged full respect for the constitution, adherence to the rule of law, and the independence of institutions mandated to safeguard human rights.

The bishops said human dignity lies at the heart of the Catholic social teaching, as every person is created in the image and likeness of God; therefore, dignity is inherent, inviolable and non-negotiable.

“It is not granted by the state, nor can it be taken away by any authority. Yet, many Kenyans continue to experience daily indignities through poverty, unemployment, hunger, corruption, insecurity and limited access to quality healthcare, education, water and housing. A nation cannot claim progress while a significant portion of its people live without hope or opportunity. Development that excludes the poor is neither just nor sustainable.”

The clerics said as the country moves closer to the next electoral cycle, they are deeply concerned about the ongoing premature campaigns and political mobilisation.

“This early jostling for positions ahead-of the 2027 general election is disturbing because it is riddled with inflammatory rhetoric, political thuggery and violence. We caution the leaders to stop these premature campaigns as they are distracting them from their responsibility to serve the people and risk plunging the country into unnecessary tension.”

They said persistent governance challenges continue to afflict our nation. These include entrenched corruption and the misuse of public resources, weak accountability mechanisms, the selective application of the rule of law, poor delivery of essential services, and a rising public debt that unjustly burdens current and future generations.