TAKE RADICAL ACTION TO REDEEM AND RESTORE KENYA
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 two-day meeting to transact formal business and discuss matters of national importance. During the meeting, we reflected on Nehemiah 2: 11 – 20, and recognized the importance of unity and involvement of all stakeholders if a national engagement is to be successful.
As we approach the end of the year, we join all Kenyans in thanking God for taking care of the country and for the many good things He has done for us.
With this in mind, we wish to share the following message with the nation:
- B. Pope’s Visit
This Executive Committee thanks God for the successful visit to the country and region by Pope Francis. We especially commend the Roman Catholic faithful in Kenya for organizing and coordinating a comprehensive itinerary that enabled the prime church leader to interact with all cadres of Kenyans including religious leaders during his first visit to the African continent. The issues the Pope raised are valid and essential for this country and we shall continue engaging them through our partnerships with the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).
- C. Call for Constitutional Amendments
This Executive Committee has followed with keen interest the debate surrounding proposals by various parties to amend sections of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. The major proposals have been fronted by the CORD Coalition under Okoa Kenya, Pesa Mashinani championed by the Council of Governors, and Boresha Kenya proposed by some members of the Jubilee Coalition. Incidentally, the constituencies that voted “No” in the 2010 referendum have shown greater patience and given the new constitution a chance to settle than the ones who desperately fought to get it passed. Nevertheless, we consider the desire for amendment to be legitimate and fully within the framework provided within the Constitution.
However, we are concerned that the divisive nature of the campaigns for these proposals and the vested interests represented bear the hallmarks of a dangerous political and tribal contest that could throw the country into a spin. Such a political contest will not only threaten our fragile national cohesion but also muddle up the issues that the proposers wish to rectify in the Constitution, especially when it happens so close to the next General Election.
Cognizant of this reality, this Executive Committee recommends that a legal framework is urgently enacted which will establish an independent body, resembling the defunct Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC), to receive, analyze and harmonize memoranda from the different initiatives and all Kenyans and advice on the emergent options and their ramifications. Such a framework will facilitate the country to:
a) Identify areas of consensus on amendments which do not require a referendum, but can be processed through Parliament as provided for in the Constitution
b) Agree on amendments that require referenda so that they are presented to the people for ratification
c) Isolate amendment proposals that are incompatible alternatives and facilitate them to be presented to Kenyans in a referendum
d) Supervise the conduct of credible civic education prior to the referendum so that when Kenyans finally vote, they do so with sound knowledge of the reasons and impact of their vote, not just for the immediate, but future wellbeing of the country
e) Identify the best timing for the referenda
We are convinced that by establishing such a body, all Kenyans will be given an opportunity to table proposals on issues of concern and have the proposals managed in a prudent and responsible manner, so that the outcome is better for all.
- D. Electoral Reforms
This Executive Committee notes that in less than two years’ time, Kenya will hold the next General Election. Learning from the past, we can expect that these polls too will be highly contested at all levels. It is therefore of great importance that all preparations necessary are made to ensure that the elections are credible and the results accepted by all. Towards this end, we recommend that the following measures are undertaken:
a) The Attorney General files a case in court seeking a judicial interpretation and determination of the constitutional provision for the date of elections as it applies to the 2017 elections
b) The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) recognizes the misgivings by some political players as regards its independence and conducts itself in such a way as to win the confidence of all Kenyans
c) Parliament, considering that the term of office of the current commissioners of the IEBC may expire in the middle of an electoral process, facilitates either
- The extension of the term of the current IEBC commissioners by at least one year after their term ends to ensure that they complete the elections and deal with the aftermath, or
- The reconstitution of the IEBC taking into consideration sensibilities of different stakeholders and pay off the current commissioners for the remaining period of their term
d) Conclusion of the formulation of a mechanism that will ensure actualization of the Two Thirds Gender Principle ahead of the 2017 general election
e) Conclusion and operationalization of all pieces of legislation touching on electoral reforms
In addition, we call upon the Judiciary to speedily process all cases related to hate speech and convict those found culpable. This will help deal with impunity and serve as an example to hate mongers, thus pacifying the nation ahead of the elections.
In the same vein, we ask the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to demonstrate that he has the capacity by charging the senior politicians who engage in reckless talk and later seek to intimidate him.
We further call upon the government to empower the National Cohesion and Integration Commission by ensuring it has enough investigators to enable it deal with hate speech.
- E. Execute the Dragon of Corruption
This Executive Committee notes with concern that the sixty-day timeline set by His Excellency the President in March this year to conclude investigations and prosecute identified cases of corruption is long expired. As a result, most Kenyans are disillusioned and find the war against corruption painfully slow and rudderless due to the lethargic approach adopted by government officers and other institutions.
We are also concerned that the private sector has been a major culprit in corrupting government and state corporation officials while seeking to secure deals that result in theft of public resources. We recognize that there are certain individuals and companies’ officials, whose identities are always hidden, who completely hold government officers and political leaders hostage, driving corruption from outside government. These include other non-state actors and even some people within religious institutions. These must be unmasked and punished if corruption is to be slain.
Having considered this matter keenly, we call upon President Kenyatta to accelerate and broaden the initiatives he has commenced so as to:
a) Unmask and blacklist individuals and institutions that contribution to corruption
b) Ensure speedy prosecution of all found culpable
c) Facilitate recovery of corruption proceeds
d) Facilitate wide consultations on and subsequent implementation of the new recommendations on Government/Private Sector engagement
e) Consolidate national mobilization against corruption by all Kenyans including through the school curricula
f) Ensure there is a deliberate move to strengthen the legal framework and institutions for fighting corruption
Further to this, we urge His Excellency the President to consider leading all senior government officials in declaring their wealth and subjecting them to a lifestyle audit. We further propose that this exercise covers all the three arms of government and is conducted by a credible and special organ anchored in law. The findings should be published, and the state moves to repossess any wealth unaccounted for while those culpable are barred for life from holding public offices.
On its part, we call upon the Judiciary to speed up the hearing and determination of corruption cases. The Judiciary must overcome the efforts by some to use technicalities to make the cases drag for years.
- F. Support for Gender Justice
This Executive Committee appreciates that throughout the Bible, God has made it clear that men and women were created equal and should therefore be accorded equal social and economic opportunities. We therefore urge all men in Kenya to support the He-for-She movement being championed by the UN Women and thereby speak out and take action against inequalities faced by women and girls. In addition, we call upon all Kenyans to work to elect able women to leadership positions in churches and the community.
- G. COP21 in Paris, France
This Executive Committee wishes to reiterate the calls made by faith leaders to the ongoing Conference of Parties meeting at Paris, France, to ensure that a new agreement on climate change is reached that is favourable to all countries. We note that if an agreement to reduce global warming and support countries with funds for mitigation and adaptation is not reached, then the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will have failed in its core mandate, thereby dooming the planet to unmitigated disasters.
- H. Call To Repentance
This Executive Committee urges all Kenyans to call to mind the scripture recorded in 2 Chronicles 7: 14 which reads: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.
Let us all remember that there is hope for our nation if we agree to repent and stop engaging in sinful practices.
- I. Conclusion
We conclude by appreciating all Kenyans for their untiring efforts to build a prosperous and cohesive nation. To move the nation forward, we reiterate that it is important to build consensus and cohesion even as we all endeavor to build a just and sustainable society and remain vigilant on divisive actions by politicians which could easily precipitate chaos as we get closer to the next elections.
Let us be thankful to God for His sustained faithfulness in providing the resources and the grace that we have needed throughout the year that is ending despite the challenges that we have faced as a nation.
We pray that God will grant all Kenyans a Happy Christmas and a God-filled new year 2016.
God bless you all.
Signed on this 2ndday of December 2015 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home Limuru.
Rev Canon Rosemary Mbogoh
Chairperson
Rev Canon Peter Karanja
General Secretary
