NAIROBI — The Anglican Church of Kenya has urged President William Ruto’s government to act swiftly on deepening crises in the health and education sectors, warning that ordinary citizens are bearing the brunt of stalled reforms and delayed funding.
Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit spoke at the close of the church’s 27th Provincial Assembly of the Clergy, where bishops and priests met this week to reflect on the state of the nation. His message was blunt: Kenyans are suffering.
“The suspension of services by private hospitals to patients under the Social Health Authority cover is causing untold hardship,” he said. “We demand that the Social Health Authority puts its house in order and pays hospitals so that they can continue to serve.”
The SHA, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund earlier this year, has faced criticism over delayed reimbursements. Many private hospitals have stopped accepting patients under the scheme, leaving thousands scrambling for care.
The church also waded into the ongoing paralysis in education, where university lecturers are on strike and schools have gone weeks without receiving capitation funds. Archbishop Ole Sapit accused the Ministry of Education of “grandstanding” instead of addressing urgent needs.
“The crisis in the education sector cannot be wished away,” he said. “Delayed capitation, coupled with unaffordable costs, is putting quality education beyond the reach of many. We call upon the government to release funds to schools and universities on time.”
Kenya’s academic year is entering its final term, but many schools are struggling to keep their doors open. Parents, too, have voiced frustration over mounting fees and uncertainty about whether lessons will continue uninterrupted.
Beyond health and education, the Anglican Church weighed in on matters of governance. It welcomed the state’s recent rollout of an electronic procurement system meant to curb graft, but urged the Treasury to respond to concerns raised by county governors. “Resistance must be addressed in the interest of promoting buy-in,” the archbishop said.
The clergy also raised alarms about the economy, pointing to high unemployment and what they described as a growing sense of despair among young people.
Their message, delivered after two days of deliberations, was clear: without urgent action, Kenya risks slipping deeper into crisis.
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