KENYA: Religious Leaders Appreciate Kenya’s Peaceful Elections, Call for Transparency in Tallying Results
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As Kenyans await for results for the General Elections conducted Tuesday, August 9, Faith leaders from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) have thanked citizens for being calm on the election and urged Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials and all those involve in the tallying process, to exercise transparency, accountability and accuracy.
Speaking at the national tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi hours after the closure of most polling stations across the country, Faith leaders said in their statement released the very day of voting, “This manifestation of political and social responsibility is commendable, knowing that God appreciates those who keep peace.”
In the message read by the KCCB Chairman for Catholic Justice and Peace Department Bishop John Oballa Owaa of the Catholic Diocese of Ngong, Kenya’s will be offended in case of erroneous counting process in the votes “casted faithfully.”
“We call upon all the IEBC officials, agents of political parties and candidates, and all others involved in the process to exercise the highest possible levels of transparency, ccountability and accuracy. It will be an affront to Kenyans if the ballots they cast so faithfully are miscounted,” reads part of the Faith leaders’ message as counting and tallying process commences.
They added, “Whereas the IEBC is constitutionally mandated to declare results, other actors have been allowed to undertake parallel tallying. We ask all who do so and broadcast their findings to continually inform their audiences that such results are provisional. This is to ensure that mistakes made by specific institutions do not mislead the public.”
The Religious leaders further asked aspirants and their supporters to be cautious in their utterances when results are announced saying, “Constitutional democracies such as Kenya are premised on competitive elections which produce winners and losers. We therefore call upon all candidates, supporters and commentators to carefully consider their words and actions in response to the results that are announced.”
Owing to the fact that every Kenyan has a role to play in the betterment of the society, the collective statement signed by Bishop Oballa and NCCK General Secretary Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui highlights the need for “both winners and losers to accept the will of the people.”
“As provided for in law, any candidate or Kenyan who is dissatisfied with the results may seek legal redress. No one should incite Kenyans to engage in violence on account of the election results,” they said.
While appreciating the peace witnessed across the country on Election Day as a “positive sign of hope for all Kenyans,” representatives of various religions encourage all actors and stakeholders “to act responsibly and at all times endeavor to preserve peace and national cohesion,” emphasizing that “The individual aspiration for leadership by any person should not put the lives of Kenyans at risk.”
In their observation they disclosed receiving reports from more than 3,000 observers who were spread across the country that that even though “there were some logistical and technological hitches, polling progressed well in most of the stations.”
They commended the IEBC for putting in place a structure to ensure efficiency in the process but raised concern for suspension of elections in some parts of the country. “We urge the voters and candidates in the affected areas to remain peaceful and patient as they await the opportunity to vote for their leaders, which the IEBC has announced will be done soonest possible,” they said.
In their Tuesday message, the Faith leaders also commend millions of Kenyans who turned out to vote stressing on the words of the country’s National Anthem saying, “We have exercised our constitutional and civic duty. Let us continue upholding peace and responsible character in line with the prayer we make through the National Anthem: O God of all creation, bless this our land and nation, justice be our shield and defender, may we dwell in unity, peace and liberty, plenty be found within our borders.”
