A Kenyan activist gestures next to a banner with a collaged image of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto during a march against corruption in Nairobi on April 30.

Kenya’s bishops have launched a campaign to slay “the dragon of corruption” in the East African nation.

Archbishop Philip Anyolo, chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, said corruption has reached alarming levels and the only way to fight it is by starting from the grass roots.

“We have allowed the dragon of corruption to pull us down to the point where we have accepted it to be our way of life,” he said in a statement on behalf of the organization.

“We are also caught up in perennial, endless political bickering, maneuvers and utterings that slow our country in moving forward in a fresh direction that will bring meaningful development and national integration.

“We all know that corruption is a grave sin and therefore call upon our faithful and people of goodwill to externally commit freely and sincerely, appending their signatures where and when needed, for fighting corruption and corruption practices.”

Archbishop Anyolo said, Kenyan bishops will lead from the front by rejecting all forms of corrupt practices as he urged Kenyans to promote a culture of honesty.

“Kenyans seem to have lost their moral conscience of doing good. Why is it so difficult to resolve not to engage in bribes, either receiving or giving bribes? The war on corruption has to be won by each citizen, indeed each person; you and me,” he added.