KENYA: PRESS RELEASE BY THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF KENYA
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5: 8-9)
Our dear Christians, fellow Kenyans and all people of Good will,
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| Kenya Catholic Bishops |
We the Catholic Bishops of Kenya, on this occasion of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, a day when we celebrate our transition from The Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC) to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), have reflected deeply on the State of the Nation and the direction of our country is taking under the new leadership.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) therefore wishes to state as follows;
Appreciating New Governance Structures
The Catholic Church in Kenya appreciates the changes in Governance brought about by the new constitution especially the county governments. This devolution and decentralization of services to the 47 counties is the greatest attempt to bring services closer to the people in Kenya’s history.
However we caution against devolving other evils like corruption, nepotism and poor leadership which have always dogged the central government.
If the current county budget making process is anything to go by, then we are deeply worried that certain priorities budgeted for in the counties show extreme insensitivity to the needs of the local communities. In some cases the proposed budgets and expenditures are absurd.
We urge all Kenyans to be on the lookout and resist such insensitivity and extravagance by their county governments. We call on the establishment of structures to increase people’s participation which has always been the spirit behind the push for devolution.
The Catholic Church will actively participate in local governance and monitoring the conduct of the county governments through our extensive networks and structures.
Supremacy Wars between Senate and the National Assembly
Our attention has been drawn to the supremacy wars in parliament between the National Assembly and Senate. We wonder the cause of such wars since each house has its clear and specific role and their complementarity well defined.
While calling for harmony and respect we challenge the two houses to compete in service delivery and drop the unnecessary power turfs. This country needs a sensitive and competent legislature to pass laws and make necessary changes needed for the smooth running of our country.
One such law is the Basic Education Act 2013 which we feel has certain sections that may hinder the provision of holistic education.
The Basic Education Act 2013
The Catholic Church appreciates that the Act not only recognizes and spells out the roles of religious sponsors who have played a very central role in Kenya’s education sector before and after independence, but also that the Church’s efforts are still needed in the on-going reforms.
It is in the public domain that we have more than 5,000 Catholic Private and Sponsored institutions and most are the finest in the country while several are in far flung areas where Catholics are the minority.
In the past 5 years, we have invested more than Kshs 1.5 Billion in developing such institutions.
However we reiterate our opposition to certain sections of the Act namely;
- Most of the Catholic sponsored schools are on land owned by the Church or land held in trust by the Church for the community. The Act is in violation of the ownership rights of the religious sponsors which are recognized and respected by the Constitution.
- The nationalization of schools by the basic education act threatens to disposes the church of its rightful property yet the church as an institution is protected under the constitution. The Act does not seem to be appreciating.
- In addition, the church demands active involvement in the selection and appointment of the heads of such institutions which is crucial in character formation and maintenance of the well-established tradition of these schools
Taxation of basic commodities
We are deeply concerned by government’s attempts to increase the taxes and therefore the prices of basic commodities and services as stipulated in the VAT Bill 2012. We remind the government that despite increase in Kenya’s budget and government income, the majority of Kenyans are poor, jobless and lack a stable source of income.
While recognizing that the government has the legitimate power to levy taxes, we remind the state that it has no moral authority to tax beyond the point where Kenyans and their families are deprived of their ability to fend for their basic needs.
Furthermore, we urge the government to ensure that food Housing and healthcare are unconditionally available to all.
Agitation for Higher Pay by different Groups
We are alarmed by the agitation for increased pay and emoluments by different professional groups and state officers. While not disputing the legitimacy of such clamour for better pay and working conditions, we warn that this trend could snowball and render this country ungovernable.
It is sad that elected leaders who are supposed to be public servants were the first to lead the clamour for higher pay.
Today as we speak, there is no learning in virtually all public schools. It is sad that in just over fifteen years, the teachers in our beloved country are on strike for the seventh time disrupting learning in schools and the development of our children.
We also hear other voices agitating for pay hikes, and threatening to go on strike. When will this cycle of industrial action come to an end? Can’t we learn to solve our just demands and differences amicably following channels of dialogue?
We call on the government and other stakeholders to give dialogue a chance for the sake of our children and their future. While the government has a moral duty to pay just salaries, as Kenyans we must ask ourselves this question: If we all demand for more money at the same time, where will it come from?
Our recklessly actions jeopardize the future our children, the lives of the sick and defenceless, and indeed our nation as a whole.
Call for Vigilance and reflection
Finally, our dear Christians and all fellow Kenyans, as we embrace our new Governance structures, we urge you to remain vigilant and continue praying for God’s guidance and protection.
May the missionary spirit for Saints Peter and Paul grow in us the love for our neighbour and the honest concern for the poor and vulnerable.
Signed by All KCCB Bishops
Source: KCCB Communication office
