Bishop Kimengich decries worrying stifle of free speech

standardmedia.co.ke · Feb 21, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Audio By Vocalize Bishop Dominic Kimengich speaks to the media. [Peter Ochieng, Standard] Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Dominic Kimengich, has expressed displeasure with what he termed a worrying trend to stifle free speech in the country. Kimengich, who is the Coadjutor Archbishop-elect of Mombasa, accused government authorities of attempts to repress freedom of speech in the run-up to next year’s general elections. The cleric condemned the alleged killing of two people and injury of at least 50 others in a political rally in Kitengela on Sunday. Speaking during his last Ash Wednesday as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Kimengich said chaotic political rallies are a recipe for violence and ethnic divisions in the 2027 polls. He expressed fears over what he termed a reversal of democratic gains that the country fought for and upheld in recent years. “Kenyans have a right to justice. When we speak about human rights and freedoms, we know their place in the Kenyan society. Every Kenyan has freedom of movement and speech,” Bishop Kimengich said. He said the chaos witnessed in the opposition rally in Kitengela should not be allowed in the country and asked government authorities to facilitate free speech and stop the use of force. “When we see what happened in Kitengela and other cases of lawlessness, we realise that we are not taking the right direction as a country,” the cleric said. He added: “We can’t imagine that acts of lawlessness can happen in our country in 2026 because every Kenyan has a right to speak and associate with others.” Kimengich slammed politicians for kicking off premature 2027 campaigns at a time when the country is facing challenges, including a drought in Northern Kenya counties. “We are asking leaders to stop the premature campaigns. The official campaign period is 2027. Let us avoid inflammatory remarks that can incite Kenyans,” said Kimengich. He said it was embarrassing that the country was in a campaign mode more than a year before the next election. “We are urging politicians to conduct their politics with a sense of maturity and discuss development. We want politics of development and national unity. There is a devastating drought in Northern Kenya, and people need relief food and water, and this is what should occupy our discourse,” he said after Ash Wednesday mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Eldoret. Kimengich further said: “It is not about who should occupy which seat and which one should not.” Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter He also questioned policies in the education and health sectors, saying many decisions in the country are made without consultation of key stakeholders. According to the Bishop, many challenges should be addressed in the education and health sectors. “It is wrong for the government to introduce new policies in crucial sectors without proper public participation. If one person claims to know everything in a government, many things go wrong because we lock out experts. “It is time that as a church we ensure that there is peace and the life of every Kenyan is respected,” he said, and urged Kenyans to coexist peacefully.