Saturday, August 17, 2024 – President William Ruto is upset with a Catholic Archbishop for his critical remarks during the anti-government protests by Gen Zs.
Ruto, through the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, has written a letter to the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi,
protesting remarks made by Archbishop Hubertus van Megen during Gen Z protests.
The Apostolic Nunciature, also
known as the Embassy of the Holy See, is the diplomatic representative of the
Roman Catholic Church and the Pope with its headquarters in Vatican City.
In the letter, the Ministry
quoted the Archbishop's remarks, claiming that they were one-sided and were
made at a time when the country was experiencing a national crisis.
"Youths in the streets
turned tables, turning tables in Parliament, turning tables of the money changers,
wanting to cleanse the temple of democracy," the Archbishop was quoted
saying on June 29, 2024.
"Youths on the streets
wanted to get Zacchaeus out of the tree, wanted to get Peter to admit to his
betrayal, these days we have witnessed a revolution in Nairobi. After this,
politics in this country will have to change."
In the speech, the Archbishop
also addressed police brutality during the protests; saying "oppressors
against the oppressed, heavily armed security forces against poorly protected
protestors, water cannons, teargas, live bullets against sticks and stones,
explosions against shouting and feelings of protestors, the state machinery
shooting freely at will.
However, in response to the
remarks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs termed the statements as undiplomatic
and inflammatory.
"Without pointing out the broader context of the government's action as a responsible diplomat, the Nuncio chose to use his exalted position to berate the government of Kenya and its institutions.
"We find this conduct to be reprehensible and unbecoming of a
distinguished member of the diplomatic corps," the Ministry said in the
letter.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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