Church leaders in Siaya County on Monday July 1, 2024 urged the government to engage an independent international mediator in solving Gen Z protests.

The religious leaders through their umbrella organization, Siaya Church Leaders’ Forum (SCLF) say the government will only succeed if an independent international mediator can be brought on board to engage the youth.

Led by their chairman Arch-Bishop Dr. James Opiyo Onyango, the church leaders lauded the efforts that the government was already trying to put in place to resolve issues raised by the youth.

Onyango’s sentiments were echoed by their organizing secretary Bishop Dr. Wilfred Amollo who reiterated the need for involving an international mediator.

He stated that the Kenyan youth seem to have lost hope and trust in the current government and may not be ready to engage it as expected by President William Ruto.

At the same time, the church leaders lauded the Kenyan youths for standing firm in exercising their rights, but called on them to embrace peace and avoid destruction of properties during their anti-government protests.

They were flanked by executive members of the Siaya Church Leaders Forum Bishop Elias Sewe and Bishop Martin Arara who called on the government to minimize wastages of public resources to quell the Gen Z protests.

He stated that the youth are not happy with the manner in which the country is being managed and that is why they don’t even have trust in the engagement model that has been proposed by the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.