National Council of Churches from the central region on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, issued a powerful statement warning that corruption, poor healthcare, alcoholism and early political campaigns are threatening the future of the country ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The meeting brought together delegates from Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Embu, Laikipia, Nyandarua and Nyeri counties under the theme “Strengthening Governance, Accountability and Trust for Credible Elections”.

Led by NCCK Central Region Vice Chair Bishop Stephen Njogu, the region is facing serious challenges caused by corruption, misuse of public resources and weak accountability systems that continue to deny wananchi quality services.

Njogu said corruption has contributed heavily to rising poverty, unemployment and the collapse of essential public services in many counties.

“We cannot remain silent as public resources are misused while ordinary citizens continue suffering. Leaders must remember that public offices are positions of trust and service,” said Njogu.

He called for stronger anti-corruption laws and urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to be empowered to take meaningful action against suspects involved in graft.

He further proposed that any person convicted of corruption should be barred from contesting for public office, even if appeals are ongoing.

On electoral preparedness, Njogu expressed concern that many politicians have shifted focus from service delivery to early campaigns despite the general election being more than a year away. He warned that the trend risks dividing communities and slowing development projects.

The clergy also raised concerns over the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election scheduled for July 16, 2026, saying the contest should not be turned into a battleground for political supremacy and violence.

NCCK called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and security agencies to ensure all candidates are vetted thoroughly and that any cases of vote buying, hate speech, violence and political intimidation are dealt with firmly.

Perminus Gathaiya, the chairman of NCCK Kirinyaga County, said that the struggling healthcare state of some county referral hospitals as worrying and painful.

Gathaiya said residents across the region continue to suffer in hospitals due to a lack of medicine, broken dialysis machines, poor sanitation and inadequate water supply in some facilities.

“It is heartbreaking that patients are forced to seek treatment in hospitals that lack basic drugs and working equipment. Healthcare should never be treated as a privilege for a few people,” he said.

He urged county governments and the national government to allocate enough resources to healthcare and demanded an urgent review of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) following persistent complaints from patients over poor services despite paying premiums.

Rising threats

Youth representative from Laikipia County, Peter Njoroge, spoke strongly against rising alcoholism and drug abuse among young people, saying the crisis is slowly destroying the future generation.

Njoroge warned that many villages and shopping centres in the region are turning into centres of drug and alcohol addiction, leading to increased school dropouts, unemployment, crime and family breakdowns.

“Our youths are not supposed to become tools of destruction and violence. They are the future of this country and they must be protected from drugs and political manipulation,” said Njoroge.

He challenged young people to reject being used by politicians to cause violence and instead register as voters and actively participate in democratic processes peacefully.

Susan Kimiru, the women representative of the NCCK central region said that politics in churches is discouraged, urging religious leaders to maintain neutrality and protect the dignity of the pulpit during this political season.

Kamiru reminded fellow clergy that churches should remain places of worship and unity rather than platforms for political campaigns and endorsements.

She said politicians attending church services should be treated like ordinary worshippers and should not be allowed to turn worship gatherings into political rallies.

“Churches must remain sacred places that unite people and speak truth without fear or political influence,” said Kamiru.

NCCK Kirinyaga County Chairman Rev Perminus Gathaiya called upon Kenyans not to lose hope but continue demanding accountability and good governance from leaders.

Rev Gathaiya reminded leaders that power is temporary and that wananchi are closely watching how public resources are being used.

He also encouraged citizens, especially the youth, to protect the integrity of the 2027 elections by rejecting bribery, violence and divisive politics.

The clergy urged Kenyans to stand for justice, honesty and responsible leadership for the sake of future generations.