KENYA: Bishops’ Statement on the State of the Nation
“ACT WITH JUSTICE, LOVE WITH MERCY AND WALK TENDERLY WITH YOUR GOD” (MICAH 6:8)
INTRODUCTION
We, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting for our April Ordinary Plenary Assembly in Nairobi, send our Easter greetings to you all. In our meeting we have had the opportunity to reflect on our mandate as your shepherds, while also focusing on matters of concern to us as Kenyans, and people of goodwill. We hereby invoke God’s blessing using the opening words of our national anthem; “O God of all creation, bless this our land and nation.” We are grateful to God who has blessed us in so many ways. We have a rich and a diverse Country that is a home to all of us. Hence we all have the obligation and the duty to pray for a better, prosperous and united nation.
As a Country, we have just come from an uncertain and tough electioneering period that almost divided the nation, with a shattered economy and a section of the population left wounded during political violence. There are those who lost their lives and property to the post-election violence. Many more are still traumatized by what they went through and still remain bitter and hence in need of healing and reconciliation. For those who lost their property and those undergoing medical treatment because of the recent post-election violence, there must be a way of compensation and some assistance so that they may be able to have the means to recover their lives and livelihoods.
A NEW ERA
It is with this spirit that we gratefully welcomed the historic meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and the leader of the opposition, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga. While we don’t know all the details of their discussion, we note that their coming together was, and will continue to be good for the Country. We see this as a step forward in the right direction and we call upon them to speed up the process of real, meaningful and lasting reconciliation. We hope to see greater commitment beyond the handshake. We have been praying all along for a united Country, where every person’s dignity is respected and where all have equal opportunities irrespective of where they come from. It is our hope and that of all Kenyans that this meeting will herald a new era of reconciliation, dialogue, peace, stability and prosperity.
We call for an all-inclusive round-table Conference that will iron out all the differences that have been separating Kenyans. All stakeholders should be involved in this process. Among the matters that need urgent attention is the review of the Constitution in light of the contentious issues that emerged during the recent elections, and other shortcomings that have been noted. Similarly such a conference should look at how the Presidency can be structured so that it is above political parties, so that it is not a position of power struggle, that is bitterly contested as it has happened in the 2007 and the 2017 presidential elections.
As we continue to urge and hope that things will be better, as the good will of the handshake provides an opportunity for Kenyans to seek and engage in dialogue, we your Shepherds wish to express our commitment in pursuing a path that helps Kenyans to focus more in building a nation that is conscious of its responsibility towards its citizens. We therefore believe that the time is right for all Kenyans to engage in a common endeavour for a more just, peaceful and prosperous country.
There is also need to look at the whole electoral system as to whether it is the best way of getting the right leaders to rule this country. We have seen that it is open to manipulation and has entrenched the evil of vote buying and other forms of bribery. The round table Conference should also look at how we should invest in democratic institutions and how to strengthen the place and role of the Opposition in order to keep in check the government in power.
It is also very disturbing that some section of politicians are endlessly in campaign mode, and are now obsessed with the coming 2022 elections instead of focusing on solving the pertinent issues affecting Kenyans. That is why we find the 2022 succession politics extremely unhealthy, retrogressive, time wasting and very selfish.
DEVOLUTION AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS
There is no doubt that devolution is good for the Country and where best practices of governance and maximum utilization of the resources available is actualized, the citizens in those Counties are at last enjoying good service delivery and are seeing tangible results of good leadership. We know of serious leaders who want to bring meaningful changes and are keen to use the available resource for the good of all the people in their respective counties. Unfortunately there are those who are there to loot, plunder and steal the money allocated to their respective Counties. There is nothing to show of the billions of money allocated to them.
We are truly disappointed with those County Governments who, instead of growing the economy and improving the lives of their people, are busy employing their political cronies and relatives to top positions and make no effort to address the issue of unemployment and other ills that need to be tackled at the County level. In these Counties there are no other sources of income except over reliance on what they receive from the National Government, which in most cases is used to pay salaries, with little resources accorded to development.
Some Counties practise open tribalism hence perpetuating this vice that is destroying our Country. In these counties only people from the dominant tribe are employed. It is no longer about service delivery and professionalism but “our turn to eat”. County governments must be held accountable for the money they have received and have not been utilized for the purpose intended.
UNACCEPTABLE HIGH POVERTY LEVELS
The level of poverty in the country is very high. Unless we bridge the extreme gap between the rich and the poor we shall always have tensions and unending conflicts. There are many people who feel marginalized and isolated from the mainstream economic gains in the country. How do we expect the country to maintain stability if we are not serious in addressing the causes of poverty and find a long lasting solution? We have to tackle poverty which in most cases is the by-product of corruption and looting of the resources we have in this country. We are therefore appealing to both the national and county governments to work for a strong economic base that will provide livelihoods to the poor people and generate revenue for sustainable development.
Many young people are unemployed. This is a time bomb that can explode any time. Out of desperation many young people end up joining gangs, militias and terror groups while others are caught up in drugs, substance abuse and alcoholism, as they waste their lives.
Job creation should be top on the agenda of any country. Kenya is an agricultural Country and therefore more resources should be allocated to farmers to work the land and produce food. It is very sad to see farmers frustrated because of the low prices for their produce. We have seen how, instead of buying from the farmers, cartels are allowed to import the same produce from outside, thus killing the efforts of our own people. We call upon the government to protect the Kenyan farmers.
THE SCOURGE OF CORRUPTION
We wish to add our voice to those who have talked about the rampant corruption that has permeated all sectors of our society. It has become now a way of life and nobody seems to care anymore. We want to state once again that corruption is evil and can never be justified in any way. All those who are benefitting from corrupt practices should take note of what is happening in other countries where even presidents are being prosecuted for their past corrupt deals. Any country condoning corruption will continue to remain poor.
Kenyans are yearning for quality services, for security and, for equitable distribution of resources. Kenyans need leaders who stand with them for development and justice, leaders who are ready to face boldly the monster of corruption that has embedded itself in our politics, in our institutions and public sector at all levels. Kenyans need to believe that it is possible to access and receive services without necessarily paying a bribe. Ordinary Kenyans must take a position not to engage or support corruption. We all need to be convinced that we have a moral responsibility to fight corruption at all levels. The culture of integrity and honesty must be integrated right from the elementary levels of our education system. Corruption must now become a concern of each and all of us. We cannot escape from it. We call upon all levels of government, both County and National to boldly and fearlessly face the many issues of corruption reported within their ranks and deal with them decisively.
CULTURE OF SHORTCUTS
We are also noticing the emergence of the culture of taking shortcuts instead of following the laid down systems that will enable us achieve what we want in the proper way. During the recent military recruitment there were people conned by those who were purporting to be in a positions of employing them. It is sad that many Kenyans have had to resort to buying jobs or paying kickbacks to be employed. We also deplore the culture that only those who know people in high positions can get jobs. This is degrading our integrity as a nation and is denying many deserving Kenyans the opportunity to be employed. Shortcuts make people not to work hard, make them dishonest and in the long run make our country morally bankrupt.
THE IMAGE OF OUR POLICE SERVICE
It is unfortunate that our National Police Service continues to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The recent video clip that went viral, about a policeman brutally beating a suspect was, to say the least, disgusting, for no human being should be treated that way. Human life has to be respected and people, even criminals, have to be treated in a humane way. The program to reform the police must continue. Similarly the police should be formed in human values, and the best way of serving the citizens of this country. The Police also have to restore their image by shunning all form of corruption and bribe taking.
We call upon the Police to ensure the security of citizens in bandit prone areas and those parts of the country where the practice of cattle rustling is rampant. Those politicians known to be the ones supplying arms and bullets to their tribesmen and protecting their tribesmen who kill members of other communities must be arrested and brought to justice. In order to achieve lasting peace in these areas the Government has to allocate more resources for development and for education.
Similarly we call upon the traffic policemen and women to be more vigilant on the roads and to ensure that only road worthy vehicles are allowed to operate on our roads. Those drivers who are not properly trained and are the cause of many accidents because of their reckless driving should not be allowed to drive. We have lost many lives because of road carnage and hence proper measures have to be taken to improve the safety of our roads. Road blocks have become money collection points.
POOR SERVICE DELIVERY
Poor service delivery exemplified by worsening traffic jams and garbage collections in our major cities and towns is affecting our economy. The transport system needs to be reviewed and improved. Kenyans are yearning for better healthcare services, improved security and quality of life. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure better service delivery to all citizens.
RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW
The three arms of the government should not be undermining each other. There should be respect for the functions of each so that there is harmony, checks and balances in order for the Country to run smoothly. In recent months we have witnessed a systematic disregard and disobedience to institutions by other institutions and individuals. The disobedience of Court orders cannot be tolerated under any justification. Disregard of independent institutions is bad, and we must condemn it. This growing culture of unwarranted attacks erodes the moral authority of institutions. If our State departments openly disobey lawful orders, what do they expect citizens to do? We call upon our government to reign in its officers to respect the rule of law and lead by example. There is need to invest more on democratic institutions for the country to realize the vision of sustainable growth. As we appreciate the expansion of infrastructure development across the country, we especially call for prudent management of public resources.
THREATS TO EDUCATION
The on-going strike by university lecturers needs to be resolved quickly. The strike is affecting the learning of our students. Our children are suffering and we are breeding a generation who are very resentful and bitter. Our attention and concern is drawn to the endless strikes and threats of strikes in the country that leave it paralysed and thereby depriving of the Kenyans the quality services they deserve. This is not good. It appears as if Kenya is now on a perpetual state of strikes. It destroys the economy and increases poverty. There is need to sincerely engage all the stakeholders, and make commitments that are realistic and just. We have always availed ourselves in meaningful negotiations towards resolving contentious issues. We, therefore, wish to encourage the spirit of dialogue and consultation especially in the transfer of Principals and heads of schools.
INTEGRITY AND DIGNITY OF THE FAMILY
As religious leaders, we strongly believe in the institution of the family as was intended by God, (Genesis 2:22-24). The dignity of the family must not be distorted by any human power, nor be changed for personal or social pleasure. We should uphold human dignity and especially the dignity of the woman. The protection and respect of the institution of the family is a responsibility of the State and the Church. Every citizen must learn to respect the family. It is, therefore, not proper for some of our leaders to purport to propose solutions by suggesting alternative forms of family. That is why we strongly oppose such attempts to introduce gay unions and promote polygamy. It is against the will of God and we must desist from it. Let our leaders engage in proposing better ideas of promoting and protecting family values.
CONCLUSION
The present political climate offers a wonderful opportunity for us as a country to move forward and forge our unity. As we sing in the closing words of our National anthem: “Let all with one accord, in common bond united, build this our nation together; and glory of Kenya the fruit of our labour, fill every heart with thanksgiving.” May God keep us united as a Country.
God bless you all, God bless Kenya.
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Signed: Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo
Chairman
Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops
