KENYA: Ahead of General Elections, Catholic Bishops Warn Against Unethical and Immoral Leaders
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have warned Kenyans against voting for aspirants who are promoting unethical and immoral practices as the country awaits for the August 9, General Elections.
Speaking on behalf of the bishops on Sunday, June 19, at our Lady of Consolata Cathedral Nyeri, Archbishop Anthony Muheria stressed the need to scrutinize the candidates’ agenda especially on matters pertaining to their stand on moral issues.
“It is important that we interrogate all candidates on their stand on ethical and moral issues. We can look at their earlier statements and ask them to express their moral stand,” the Local Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Nyeri narrated.
He bemoans situations when leaders propose the propagation of immoral and unethical policies stressing that, “For a nation to thrive, it must be founded on sound and ethical principles.”
Revealing the unethical and immoral practices some leaders propose, the Prelate warns Kenyan citizens: “We specifically caution you and ask that you stand up against those bad leaders who propose to destroy life in its initial stages in the mother’s womb through abortion.”
“Those who have an agenda of liberalization of sexual behaviour including pornography and those proposing destruction of our youth through liberalization of drug use,” he cautioned, “any leader proposing such agenda should not be elected.”
The Archbishop continued, “Furthermore, a leader who supports an immortal agenda will have no conscience. This spells doom for a society,”
Besides warning Kenyans about unethical and immoral leaders, Church leaders further cautioned on what they term as “casual or careless voting.”
“We will be choosing leaders who will determine for the next five years the destiny of our Wards, our Constituencies, our Counties and our Country. We are at the doorsteps of bestowing power to leaders who make decisions about our individual and collective wellbeing. We therefore cannot afford to be casual in the way we elect leaders,” the bishops noted in their Sunday message.
They added, “For us Christians, voting is a moral obligation to choose leaders who stand for the good of all citizens. That is why we must interrogate their character, their morality, their value-system, and what they stand for in key moral issues.”
Emphasizing qualities to look into while identifying servant leaders to be voted for in the upcoming General elections, the prelates stressed on a visionary leader, reconciler and a fighter against corruption.
Addressing the quality of a leader who is a fighter against corruption, the bishops urged Kenyans to refuse any leader perceived “will propagate the cancer of corruption.”
“An electable leader should detest corruption at all levels to serve as an example to others,” they said recounting the campaign they initiated against corruption in 2019, condemning the vice in its strongest term.
To identify a visionary leader, the Church leaders noted that “A leader is elected to steer a vision (and) Manifestos ought to give a glimpse of what a leader is aspiring to do.”
“We should take this time to ensure that we carefully read the manifestos presented to us, and where possible raise concerns with the candidates responsible,” members of KCCB said adding that, “We should seize this moment to internalize the vision of our country and vote for the person we consider most suitable to drive it forward. Where the ideal candidate is lacking, we must also interrogate the candidate whose leadership will least expose our Nation to the negative consequences.”
Also, in preparations for the August General elections, members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have called on citizens to be alert on identifying aspirants for various positions advocating for election of servant leaders.
“Fellow Kenyans, we are not looking forward to electing Saints or Angels,” the bishops cautioned in their collective statement read by Archbishop Anthony Muheria Sunday, June 19, at our Lady of Consolata Cathedral Nyeri, asking citizens to focus on those candidates who can be servant leaders.
The prelates highlighted some of the roles a servant leader needs to play in delivering services to citizens saying, “We draw the attention of all of us that a leader performs three basic roles: embodies the vision of the people he leads; works with and involves people in decision-making and inspires people to act freely and voluntarily.”
They pointed out former president of South Africa the late Nelson Mandela and of Tanzania the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere as exemplary leaders who involved people in achieving their vision and were inspirational in their leadership styles.
“Nelson Mandela is an icon of reconciliation and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was an example of humility,” reads part of the Sunday statement signed by the KCCB chairman Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde of Mombasa as the bishops stressed that the two leaders “provided what it takes to be a leader” challenges notwithstanding.
