NCCK Chairperson Rev. Canon Rosemary Mbogo, General Secretary Rev. Canon Peter Karanja pose for a group photo with EXCOM members after a two-day meeting at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru
SAFEGUARD 2017 ELECTIONS
Press Statement
- A. Preamble
The Executive Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has met here at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru, for a three-day meeting to transact formal business and discuss matters of national importance. During the meeting, we reflected on Nehemiah 5: 1 – 18 which details how the people were liberated from an oppressive social economic governance system. This was achieved through the actions of a leader who courageously confronted the beneficiaries of the oppressive system. We embraced this as a challenge for us to raise our voices, individually and jointly, against the systems in our country that seem designed to oppress our people.
We especially take note that the 2017 General Elections, which will be held in just over one year, will offer Kenyans a golden opportunity to put in leadership persons who will courageously fight to eradicate oppression, poverty and corruption both at the national and county levels of government. For this to happen, we must ensure that the 2017 General Elections are free, fair, credible and peaceful. It is towards this that we wish to share the following message:
- B. Facilitate National Dialogue and Reconciliation
This Executive Committee takes note that the deep-seated divisions that have caused violence around past elections appear to have gotten worse. A close analysis of the possible scenarios particularly around the presidential and gubernatorial contests paints a picture of a country that is characterized by desperation and militancy which can tear the country and counties apart, leaving in their wake deeper wounds than we have experienced before.
The challenges that the nation is facing include the widening ethnic divisions that have been fanned by cut-throat political competition between different coalitions and actors as well as the toxic discussions regarding the outcome of the International Criminal Court cases. These divisions are buttressed by the growing gap between the rich and the poor due to a rising cost of living and rampant unemployment especially among the youth. These are largely caused by the high cost of doing business occasioned by the rampant corruption across both the public and private sectors and poor work ethics that undermine production and wealth creation. All these factors suggest that the unresolved issues of the 2007 / 2008 elections and violence could easily create a new cycle of violence if mishandled.
It is in this regard that we urge all Kenyans, and especially the leaders, to embrace dialogue that is aimed at facilitating national cohesion and integration. We especially propose two approaches towards this:
One, have the top leaders of the main political coalitions and parties meet for dialogue and agreement on how to ensure that legitimate concerns around the management of the next elections are resolved satisfactorily to guarantee peace and credibility.
Two, hold sectoral and county dialogue fora to resolve critical issues at their levels and distill national consensus to be addressed at a National Dialogue and Reconciliation Conference. Religious leaders are willing not only to participate at all levels but also in conjunction with other stakeholders to provide leadership for this dialogue.
A candid confrontation of the issues that divide us, create fear and mistrust and thus justify ethnic mobilization and conflict, with a view to building consensus on their authentic resolution, is our country’s best insurance against self-destruction.
- C. Resolve Issues Related to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission
This Executive Committee recognizes that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is the only constitutionally mandated body to manage elections in Kenya. It is therefore the responsibility of every Kenyan to ensure that the IEBC puts in place adequate measures and systems to deliver peaceful, free, fair and credible elections next year. We especially note that there are overarching misgivings regarding the capacity of the IEBC to manage the 2017 General Elections. We therefore wish to recommend that:
a) The IEBC undertakes public testing of all electronic devices required for the 2017 General Elections to ensure that they will actually function as expected
b) Parliament considers putting in place a legal mechanism for the reconstitution of the IEBC taking into account the sensibilities of different stakeholders. One of the options may be paying off the current commissioners for the remainder of their term. Humanly speaking, it might be hard for them to discharge their duties effectively in the face of alleged corruption cases that have tainted their credibility.
c) Parliament concludes and enacts the legislation intended to actualize the Two Thirds Gender Principle. The national dialogue we have proposed may result in an effective resolution of the challenges that the Gender Principle poses.
d) Parliament concludes and enacts all the pieces of legislation touching on electoral reforms
e) The IEBC deals firmly with electoral malpractices by enforcing the law to the letter
On their part, we urge all eligible Kenyans to ensure they register as voters at their preferred registration centers and actively participate in electoral processes as their civic and national duty.
- D. Reconstitute the Supreme Court of Kenya
This Executive Committee recognizes that credibility of the Supreme Court of Kenya is critical as we approach the 2017 General Elections. We therefore call for a quick conclusion of the matters of concern that include:
a) Investigations of judges on allegations of corruption
b) Cases of judges contesting their retirement by the Judicial Service Commission
c) Ensuring that the succession of the office of the Chief Justice is carried out in a transparent and credible manner
- E. Protect Media Freedom
This Executive Committee recognizes that the media plays a very important role in the life of the nation, which is why its freedom is specifically guaranteed by Article 34 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. We therefore call upon the police to cease the occasional arrests of journalists who ruffle the powers that be and the rich in the course of their work. Kenyans must jealously guard their right to information in the face of selfish political conspiracies to cover malpractices and corruption. On their part, we call upon all journalists to adhere to Article 33 of the Constitution which requires all Kenyans to respect the rights and reputations of others as they exercise their freedom of information. This sensitivity should be extended to the Social Media where a lot of defamation and hate speech have been spewed out against individuals and communities.
- F. Support Protection of Morality on TV
This Executive Committee wishes to commend the Kenya Film Classification Board for the bold move it took by issuing the new Advertising Content Classification Guidelines. This will go a long way in protecting the moral fabric of our nation that has been grossly eroded by insensitive broadcast of offensive content. We urge all producers and marketers of products to adhere to the guidelines rather than fighting the Board for doing the work it was established to do. National institutions must be provided support to execute their mandates as we demand from them fairness and patriotism.
- G. Engagement by Faith Communities
On our part as the Council, we continue to work with other faith communities in Kenya to contribute to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in 2017 by:
a) Promoting national and community dialogue
b) Supporting the relevant national institutions of electoral governance
c) Civic empowerment and voter education
d) Monitoring of the electoral process to preempt malpractices and promote accountability
- H. Conclusion
The Executive Committee recognizes that peaceful, free, fair and credible General Elections in 2017 will consolidate the gains we have made since the 2007 elections and propel the country to the next level of its development, regardless of the political outcome. It is therefore important that adequate preparations are made to ensure that no individual or institution is allowed to bungle them. This country cannot afford another wave of violence or mere police intervention to restrain a disgruntled citizenry from systemic electoral malfunctions.
May God bless Kenya and be with us always.
Signed on this 22nd day of April 2016 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru.
Rev Canon Rosemary Mbogoh
Chairperson
Rev Canon Peter Karanja
General Secretar
