Be True Salt of the Earth

by admin / Saturday, 27 February 2021 / Published in News

Be True Salt of the Earth

Press Statement

Preamble

The Regional Committee of the NCCK North Rift Region has met here at RCEA Guest House, Eldoret, today February 26, 2021. The NCCK North Rift Region comprises of Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet and Turkana counties.

The meeting was guided by the scripture recorded in Matthew 5: 13

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot

We recognized that Christians must be a blessing to those around them. We considered this and wish to share the following message with the residents of this region and the entire nation.

1. Provide Security for All

This Regional Committee is deeply concerned that insecurity is rising in our counties, driven by under development that has led to unemployment of many youths who are now idle. This Regional Committee urges His Excellency the President to reorganize the security machinery in the region to ensure that any and all individuals who are involved in the criminal activities are brought to book. We especially recommend that action be taken against politicians who are implicated in the insecurity. They must not be allowed to continue hiding behind the name of their tribes to perpetuate evil.

2. Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2020

This Regional Committee has noted that preparations for the Referendum on the constitution are in high gear, and the Amendment Bill is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament. Amendment of the Constitution of Kenya is a crucial process in which all Kenyans should participate, since the amendments will touch the lives of all.

We therefore urge all people to uphold and maintain peace before, during and after the referendum. No Kenyan should suffer or die because of the referendum. Any person who incites violence or ethnic hatred on account of the referendum to should have action taken against them.

On their part, we urge all Kenyans to attend civic education events, and to read and understand the Bill so as to make an informed decision during the anticipated referendum. Do not wait to be informed by politicians who come to you with vested interests, not the interests of the nation.

We condemn the trend that has been witnessed of bribery and intimidation especially of the Members of County Assemblies as they were voting on the Bill. This action offends the principle of free choice as a tenet of democracy. We must all end this culture of handouts to influence public decisions.

On our part as the National Council of Churches of Kenya, we have commenced today our Civic Education Programme which is being delivered through our structures and churches. We will share the Civic Eduation Handbooks to help Kenyans understand the implications of each of the amendments proposed in the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2020. This is our contribution to enabling Kenyans make informed decisions.

3. Readiness for the 2022 General Elections

This Regional Committee has noted with concern that adequate attention has not been put on the preparations for the Constitutionally scheduled 2022 General Elections. The challenges that affected the 2017 elections, and even the elections before then, which led to rejection of results by some contestants have not been addressed. The situation is actually worse with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission having only three commissioners, contrary to the law. There are concerns whether it will even be properly constituted to conduct the referendum. We call upon the government and concerned stakeholders to speedily implement the required electoral reforms.

Further to this, we condemn the emerging trend of use of foul language and emergence of toxic politics in the country. Politicians should not train our children that it is okay to insult one another, spew out lies, and malign the characters of others. On behalf of the residents of this region, we express concern that politicians are leading the people towards the dark path of hatred, conflict and violence. We call upon all actors to rise up and stop the country from sliding into anarchy.

We strongly recommend to all Kenyans to reject any political actor who engages in foul language or violence. As citizens, we can teach our leaders to have decorum by denying any who are not tolerant leadership positions.

4. Message to Faith Leaders

This Regional Committee has taken into consideration the word recorded in Proverbs 11: 14

Where there is no guidance, a people falls. But in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

The role of religious leaders is to aid people in seeking and building a strong relationship with God. For this reason, every faith leader has an obligation to provide spiritual nurture to all people who come to our places of worship, regardless of their status in society. To achieve this, we must all maintain the sanctity of the places of worship.

We therefore call upon all church leaders in our counties to avoid asking for donations from politicians and aspirants during the referendum period and the upcoming general elections. When you do, they in return ask for opportunities to speak to congregants during the worship services, which is highly inappropriate since the pulpit is for spiritual nurture, not political campaigns. Do not allow anyone to stand in a place of worship and use foul language or engage in politics. Let us be true salt to the earth, and all men will glorify God.

Conclusion

As we conclude, we wish to join all Kenyans in the prayer we all make through our National Anthem:

O God of all creation, bless this our land and nation, justice be our shield and defender. May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty, plenty be found within our borders.