National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) chairperson Dr. Elias Agola has criticised the government’s approach to public grievances, urging it to listen to understand rather than respond.

Speaking on Spice FM on Wednesday, November 20, Agola accused the government of failing to engage meaningfully with its critics, a pattern he said has persisted since the Gen Z protests.

“The problem with the government is that it is listening to respond, not to understand,” noted Agola. 

“Responding in the sense that you are telling me what’s on your mind, but you are not understanding what the people are asking.”

He added, “The Gen Z were raising issues, but someone was listening to respond. Today, the church is raising issues, but as you’ve seen, someone is listening to respond and not understanding. We cannot all be wrong. Someone should listen to understand.”

Agola listed the increase in taxes, a dysfunctional healthcare system, and a struggling education sector among the key issues raised by the church.

On taxes, Agola questioned why tax revenue seemed dwindling despite increased burdens on citizens. 

“You cannot impose so many taxes in such a short time and then release a report saying tax collection has gone down. That’s a contradiction. Where have the taxes gone?” he asked.

He also called out the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), saying it remains non-functional and that the government has done little to explain how it works.

“The SHIF is dysfunctional, and the government doesn’t care to explain to Kenyans how it works. Meanwhile, more lives are being lost every day,” he added. 

Agola warned against dismissing dissenting voices, urging the government to engage constructively. 

“We don’t want to go back to the dark ages where abductions became the order of the day. If someone raises a voice, will it be taken as constructive voice?” he said.

He stressed that the church will continue to voice the concerns of Kenyans as it has a moral obligation to speak on behalf of the people.

“The church cannot remain silent. We are here to let every leader in the country understand that the people are tired,” he noted.