Let Us All Embrace Dialogue for a Better Society
December 7, 2023
Let Us All Embrace Dialogue for a Better Society
Press Statement
Amos 3: 3
Can two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?
The Executive Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has held its second statutory meeting of this year here at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru, over the last two days.
During this meeting, we reflected on the aspiration of Kenya being one nation and one people as is expressed in our National Anthem when we pray the words of the third stanza:
Let all with one accord, in common bond united, Build this our nation together
And the glory of Kenya, the fruit of our labor, fill every heart with thanksgiving
As Kenyans, we aspired for the same unity when we declared in the Preamble of the Constitution of Kenya 2010:
Proud of our ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, and determined to live in peace and unity as one indivisible sovereign nation;
Having considered the state of our nation, we now share with you the following message.
- Report of the National Dialogue Committee
We in the NCCK heartily commend the members of the bipartisan National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) for hearing the call of Kenyans and completing their task. We appreciate that the dialogue process undertaken by the NADCO manifested the essence and importance of dialogue in promoting and enhancing peace in the nation.
Learning from this experience, we call upon all leaders to embrace dialogue and consultations with the citizens as a means of building oneness in the nation. When people are engaged in structured and respectable platforms, there is agreement to agree and disagree peacefully. Let us all embrace dialogue at family, community and national levels.
On its part, we urge the Parliament to spearhead a process through which the NADCO report will be taken back to the people for validation and concurrence on its implementation. This will ensure that the reforms that arise from the bipartisan talks are people driven.
2. Give the People Hope
This Executive Committee has taken note of the nationwide expression of concern with the state of the economy and livelihoods of the citizens. Admittedly, the world is going through a tumultuous season which is affecting our nation as well. It is of extreme importance that the government of Kenya accords the people hope by providing a context that enables them rebuild and restructure their livelihoods. Towards this, we call for concrete measures that will ensure:
One, wastage and theft are curtailed. Action must be taken to dissuade corruption at all levels and sectors of national and county governments.
Two, government recurrent expenditure must be reduced to ensure that as a nation we live within our means.
Three, Members of Parliament should play their oversight role effectively in holding the government accountable on all money and appointment matters, and report back to the people who elected them
Four, reduction of taxation levels with a goal of increasing disposable income of the citizens. This will facilitate businesses to take root and grow, thereby increasing the governmentβs tax income.
Five, state officers, independent offices and commissions execute their mandates effectively and visibly to restore their credibility in the eyes of Kenyans. Any implied or apparent intimidation of officers in these institutions must be stopped.
Further to these, we reiterate our call for a public discourse on the national public debt to ensure that Kenyans pay only for the money borrowed and spent lawfully. The government in addition needs to adopt fidelity and transparency in acquisition and use of external borrowings. This will mitigate the nationwide perception that funds borrowed are ending up in the pockets of individuals. Let Kenyans know what is being borrowed in their name, and how it is spent.
3. Floods and Emergencies
This Executive Committee is deeply sorrowed by the loss of lives occasioned by floods in different parts of the country. This is a tragic development that was totally preventable.
We call upon the national government to urgently allocate adequate resources to intervene to save lives and restore infrastructure. We do note that as per article 24 of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya, Disaster Management is a responsibility of the national government.
On our part, we are mobilizing our congregations to donate and share food and non-food items with those affected by the floods to accord them dignity, relief and recovery.
4. Address Climate Change and Food Security
Further to the emergency response, we call upon all Kenyans and the county governments to embrace climate-smart agriculture and tree growing. It is of great importance that climate change governance interventions should also be aimed at promoting food security of all Kenyans. All Kenyans have a duty to produce food and ensure we have enough for all.
In this regard, we remind all that seeds are the foundation of food security, and therefore the proposed privatization of the Kenya Seed Company should be stopped.
On our part as NCCK, we continue to build the capacities of community members to adopt Conservation Agriculture. We are also using church compounds as demonstration sites for adaptive agricultural practices as well as agro-forestry.
Let us all join hands to ensure that Kenya is food secure and no Kenyan sleeps hungry.
5. Boundaries Review
This Executive Committee has taken note with concern that time is running out for the constitutionally required boundaries review process, which must be completed by March 2024.
To avoid plunging the country into a constitutional crisis, we call for fast-tracking of the recruitment and appointment of Commissioners for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
On its part, we urge the IEBC secretariat to put in place the measures necessary to prepare for the boundaries review process. We especially urge that a nationwide sensitization campaign be rolled out to ensure that the peopleβs expectations are aligned to the provisions of the Constitution.
6. Resolve the Issues in Education Sector
This Executive Committee is deeply concerned about the state of the education in the education sector. We call upon the government to provide adequate funding to finance the schooling of our children. Of essence, the shortage of teachers in schools should be addressed.
Moving forward, we call for adequate consultations and sensitization on the proposed reforms in the sector especially those aimed at supporting implementation of the Competence Based Curriculum.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we thank all Kenyans for the continued determination to live peaceably with each other. Let us fix our eyes on bettering our individual lives, holding onto hope that as we consult with each other, we will find solutions to the challenges in our nation.
We conclude by wishing all Kenyans a blessed Christmas and God-filled New Year 2024. Our prayer for the nation during this season is in the words of 2 Corinthians 13: 14
May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Signed on this 7th day of December 2023 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru
Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki
Chairman
Rev Canon Chris Kinyanjui
General Secretary
