KENYA: There is need for National dialogue, the Catholic Church Post-Election Report Reveals
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) – Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, KCCB – Commission for Social Communication and Jesuit Hakimani Centre on 3rd, May, 2018 launched a joint report of a study conducted after the hotly contested August 2017 presidential election followed by November 2017, repeat of presidential election after the nullification of the August results by the High Court.
In a report released by the Principal Researcher and Director of Jesuits Hakimani Centre Brother Dr. Elias Mokua SJ, it is not just the security agencies that have ensured peace in the country but also members of the public who pray for peace and justice and take action to ensure an environment that allows peace and justice to prevail in the country.
Dr. Mokua who is also the National Executive Secretary of Commission for Social Communications said that, findings indicate that on a trigger, Kenya could explode into a wave of violence especially due to the many unemployed youth who are well educated. He said that the respondents expressed strong confidence in the Church leadership in hope that the Church will make the elected leaders accountable to the people and unite individuals and communities.
He said that according to the findings, national dialogue is the most preferred method of solving outstanding grievances and that there is need to include members of the public among other actors in the dialogue process. The content should include addressing concerns on tribalism, promotion of peace, fair distribution of resources and support for electoral justice and rule of law.
According to Dr. Mokua, the respondents strongly indicated that religious institutions are trusted to champion the dialogue and reconciliation process. However, some respondents expressed fear that the national dialogue will not amount to much due to lack of political goodwill, corruption and lack of personal commitment.
The questionnaires were sent to the small Christian communities in different Parishes across all the Dioceses in Kenya and in focus groups at the national level. It was noted that there is a major concern on the lack of respect for the rule of law and the study also showed that there are existing militia groups at various levels of the society.
Speaking at the conference The Kisumu Archbishop Zaccheaus Okoth appreciated the coming together of President Uhuru Kenyata and the former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga saying that, the two political leaders have given Kenyans an opportunity to bring their issues forward for genuine constructive discussions.
“Kenyans have an opportunity to discuss the agenda four that included long term issues of constitutional and institutional reforms, land reforms, poverty, inequality and regional imbalances,” Archbishop Okoth said.
The Archbishop who is among the 14 Committee members appointed by the President and the Opposition leader after the handshake to steer the National Dialogue said, “We are at a time to make a resolution and have a determination to make a new Kenya. Something must be new, the people have to change, have a preferential for the poor, work for the common good, and tackle unemployment among the youth to be able to sustain themselves for national cohesion and unity.
He urged Kenyans to look at the country with confidence in the future and learn from the past experience promising to air the views shared by Kenyans in the report by the Catholic Church.
The Conference was also attended by Kakamega Bishop and the Chairman of KCCB – Commission for Social Communication Rt. Rev. Joseph Obanyi, Bishop Alfred Rotich, and Speaker of the Senate Hon. Kenneth Makelo Lusaka, other political leaders, the youth and participants from various peace and justice forums.
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By Rose Achiego, KCCB
