Catholic Bishops Call for Dialogue Between Ruto and Raila

Catholic bishops have urged president Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga to consider dialogue in a bid to avert the ongoing demonstrations and crisis.

Anthony Muheria led the team on Wednesday as they addressed the media, pleading with President Ru­­­to to keep his promise of sitting down and holding talks with his political rival to iron out issues.

They also urged Raila and his allies, including Martha Karua and Kalonzo Musyoka, to refrain from the planned weekly protests, encouraging the Azimio leader to consider holding the talks.

According to the Bishops however, neither chest-thumping nor blame-shifting will solve the mess Kenya finds itself in. 

“We plead and ask Ruto to follow through with his promise to sit with and listen to Raila and come up with reasonable proposals to address the high cost of living that urgently needs attention.  We ask Raila to accept dialogue for the good of our country,” the bishops said. 

“Dialogue can resolve this dangerous standoff. Need to get a common ground to restore sanity,” 

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The bishops further said that Kenyans were tired and frustrated having to deal with the high cost of living and issues such as unemployment, high taxation, and a ballooning public debt.

“It is not opportune to have demonstrations since such actions will not solve problem or grievances cited,” Bishop Muheria said. 

“The fact that it is legal to demonstrate should not make it a vehicle to paralyze the Country, nor degenerate to a forceful takeover of a legitimate Government! We must allow ourselves to be guided by the law and not our own individual perspectives,”