As the Rev. Dr. Linda Adolwa Ochola combs through Scripture ahead of this year’s Freedom Sunday, September 21, her eyes also remain trained on current affairs across Kenya.
From heart-wrenching ethical breaches within the institutional church to contested plans by the East African country’s President, Dr. William Ruto, to build a chapel at State House, Nairobi, the in-tray is full for the Anglican minister.
“Christianity remains a cornerstone of Kenyan national identity, often transcending other divisions. Yet the ethnic and denominational fragmentation within the church has hindered a unified voice on the most pressing national issues,” she told The Living Church from the International Justice Mission’s offices in Nairobi, where she is the Lead for Church Partnerships.
Passionate about creating resources to inspire and encourage Christians—who comprise about 80 percent of the nation’s population—to be civic-minded, Adolwa Ochola is also a discerning student of her times.
“As we approach another election season, we see churches issuing calls for integrity, while simultaneously aligning with dominant political forces at the grassroots level. This paradox reveals a nation deeply rooted in Christian confession, but lacking a cohesive moral compass in moments of national crisis,” she said.
On August 28, TLC accompanied Adolwa Ochola to a church leaders’ breakfast aimed at addressing this cognitive dissonance, hosted by the Ethical Leadership Network in partnership with the International Leadership University. She served as moderator for the event.
The event, “Upholding Integrity: The Role of the Church in Restoring Public Trust and Ethical Leadership in Kenya,” connected bishops, pastors, clergy and heads of faith-based organizations from across the nation to explore how they can collectively address Kenya’s integrity deficit, promote ethical governance rooted in Biblical principles, and equip leaders to champion integrity in their communities.
“The president has accused both Parliament and the judiciary of corruption. Can Churches be examples of righteous living? Christians are effective because they are exemplary and an example, not forceful or abusive. This is the time to hold whoever we elected accountable. When things are tough, it is not a death sentence. It’s an invitation to growth,” said Dr. Oliver Kisaka, ex-deputy secretary general of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, in his keynote address.
Kisaka identified several major challenges to ethical leadership in Kenya: nominal Christians; a disempowering discipleship; a focus on heaven without earthly competencies; disunity among Churches; and poor governance and management within churches.
For Dr. Walter Andhoga of the International Leadership University’s Institute of Church Renewal and Leadership, the lack of civic competence makes calls for civic education and integrity ahead of the 2027 general election even more urgent.
He urged support for Justice Month, an initiative of International Justice Mission-Kenya, which invites churches to dedicate September to preaching and reflecting on God’s heart for justice in a broken world.
“We need to make an effort to bring together more Christian organizations and Churches championing integrity in leadership; galvanize the Church towards prayer and fasting; champion holistic discipleship; and embrace the IJM initiative to use our pulpits and related platforms for justice in September,” he said.
Justice Month culminates in Freedom Sunday, an international day of prayer and giving to end human slavery, which International Justice Mission-Kenya is claiming as a time for churches to celebrate God’s call to justice and commit to action.
An August 2025 survey released by Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission highlighted extremely worrisome levels of public-sector corruption, affecting law enforcement agencies, revenue administration, local government, attorneys, journalists, teachers, lecturers, engineers, accountants, bankers, architects, land surveyors, doctors and nurses.
Transparency International, a nonprofit agency focused on ending corruption, gave Kenya a score of 32 out of 100 in its 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, the 121st worst out of 180 countries. The group has scheduled an integrity walk in Nairobi on September 27, inviting citizens to show their support for change.
Adolwa Ochola says the challenge of persuading churches to back these efforts can be exhausting.
“Churches are extremely territorial. It is so difficult,” she said.
But she thinks the moment is ripe for a shift.
“It’s a time to confront the reality of oppression, engage deeply with Scripture, and explore faithful, practical responses,” she said. “We believe this journey can help restore the church’s prophetic voice and build a justice-oriented culture that reflects the heart of Christ.”
Jesse Masai is TLC’s East Africa correspondent, a longtime journalist and communications professional who has worked in South East Asia and the U.S., as well as in his native Kenya.
