NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 28 -- President William Ruto has welcomed the commitment by the Catholic Church to participate in a multi-sectoral engagement that seeks solutions to the issues facing the country.
Speaking during a meeting with the clergy on Friday the head of state pointed out that the country will move forward through this collective approach.
"At State House, Nairobi, met Catholic Bishops led by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Chairman Archbishop Maurice Muhatia," he stated.
On Wednesday, President Ruto announced his intention to meet with a range of sectoral leaders, including clerics, to discuss national issues following the recent anti-Finance Bill protests that resulted in dozens of deaths and numerous injuries from gunshots.
The Catholic Church has been particularly critical of Ruto's administration, urging him to repeal the controversial Finance Bill passed by parliament.
In response to sustained protests, predominantly led by the country's youth, President Ruto announced on Wednesday that he would not sign the bill into law.
Earlier, the President met with the leadership of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), who voiced their concerns over the government's deployment of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to support the police during the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, despite a court order prohibiting such actions.
Following their meeting with President Ruto, NCCK in a statement called on the government to uphold the rule of law and respect citizens' rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
"The youth of Kenya have exercised their right to peaceful picketing as part of their participation in national life. We demand that the state stops curtailing this right by using police and military force," the statement read.
The clerics also urged the President to involve the youth in nation-building efforts to prevent future unrest.
The head of state had also promised to meet the young people and listen to their grievances
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