KENYA: Bishops Decry High Cost of Living, Call Politicians to Address the “Economic Crisis”
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Following the rising cost of living in the country and “inflation souring,” members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have raised concern calling on political candidates seeking elective posts “to flag and address the current economic crisis for the common Kenyan.”
In their weekly reflection shared Sunday, June 26, by Archbishop Philip Arnold Anyolo of Nairobi Metropolitan, the bishops complained of the silence of politicians when it comes to the rising cost of basic items saying, “It is indeed surprising that while drought and hunger loom in our borders, the increase in the price of the most basic food items is hiked to almost double and yet the Government and most of the political aspirants are silent about it.”
Speaking on behalf of the Conference, Archbishop Anyolo added: “It is not enough to decry it, we need to hear solutions and how the new leaders will cushion the poor in this economic crunch. We are concerned that this situation may be used by aspirants to exploit the sufferings of others for personal gains.”
He noted that the outgoing leaders could have done much more in devising mechanisms to mitigate effects of the perennial droughts which is severe in parts of the country, adding, “We run the risk that leaders who will be elected in different elective positions may follow the same trend whereby they do not attend to the wellbeing of the poor and destitute but focus on themselves and increasing their salaries.”
They advised that those seeking for election “should tell us their specific plan to lower the cost of living in order to improve the economy without deflecting responsibility by finger pointing or blaming external factors. They need to commit not to increase their salaries.”
In the Sunday statement signed by the KCCB chairman Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde of Mombasa Archdiocese, the prelates reminded Kenyans of the need to be concerned and care for the poor reiterating Christ’s great command of love for neighbor.
They urged the national and country leaders to go out of their way and more reminding the national government “to move with speed to lower the prices of basic commodities like maize flour, maize and beans, cooking fat and kerosene, so that families can afford to meet their basic needs as Kenyans need an urgent intervention from the County and National Governments now, not tomorrow.”
Addressing citizens in their collective statement, the church leaders disclosed that the economy of the country is in the hands of Kenyan’s as they warned the people to be alert with politicians who make empty promises that will not be fulfilled.
The political promises of millions and billions for this and that the bishops said, “is insufficient in ensuring we meet our basic needs. We specifically need to ask those seeking elective positions what plans they have to create the right economic atmosphere, even improving our agriculture, and not what free things they will give us.”
The bishops further addressed the international debt affecting the economy of the country which they say has reached “alarming level.”
“Unfortunately, a lot of this money has often gone to wrong use through corruption,” reads part of the bishops warning message as they continue, “Besides showing how they will ensure funds are rightly used, our aspiring leaders ought to tell us the strategy they intend to put in place to address both debt repayment and management going forward in order to improve the welfare of our citizens.”
They appreciated the hard work of Kenyans reminding them that as active citizens in the governance of how economy is managed they also need to “ensure that they creatively become more innovative and entrepreneurial to increase our revenue streams at all levels beginning with the family level.”
“May God who gives us graces in abundance everyday strengthen our resolve to right the wrongs in this country, support one another as true brothers and sisters of the same God and look forward to the post-election period with hope and commitment in generating economic opportunities for each and every Kenyan,” they concluded.
