KENYA: Faith Leaders Call Kenyans to Accept Supreme Court Ruling as the Position of Justice
Religious Leaders
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As Kenyans await for the Supreme Court’s ruling following the Presidential results that were challenged as not fair and credible after the announced on August 15, representatives of various Faith communities in the country have called on citizens to maintain peace and calm and eventually accept the Court’s verdict expected to be on Monday, September 5.
In their statement dated Monday, August 29, the Faith leaders said, “We urge every Kenyan, regardless of their political affiliation, to accept the ruling of the Supreme Court as the position of justice. It is Kenya that will have won either way.”
They added, “It is our prayer and confidence that truth will prevail, and justice will be done and be seen to be done at the Supreme Court.”
The seven bench judges of the Supreme Court began hearing the presidential poll petition on Wednesday, August 31.
The Supreme Court is the highest in the land, created under Kenya’s 2010 constitution “as the final arbiter and interpreter of the constitution”
Speaking at Ufungamano House, Nairobi, after their reflection on the State of the Nation, the Religious leaders disclosed their dedication to pray for the judges and staff of the Supreme Court.
“We encourage you (judges and staff of the Supreme Court) to undertake your duty with utmost good faith, fairness, impartiality and public trust,” reads part of the Wednesday statement.
As Religious leaders appreciate Kenyans for upholding peace and calm during the electoral period, they acknowledged that Kenyans have manifested “democratic maturity that is commendable,” saying, “Let us all continue with this trend, especially in view of the intensive legal discourses that will be happening this week at the Supreme Court.”
They added, “We call on all Kenyans to wait until the Supreme Court processes the petitions, keeping in mind the wisdom of Proverbs that “In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross examines.”
They further commended all who contested for different seats for promoting peace and issue-based campaigns and especially thanked the Presidential Candidates “for upholding national cohesion and expressing support for rule of law.”
“Let us all join in prayer as we patiently and peacefully wait for the Supreme Court process to be concluded. May the words of the National Anthem be the inspiration for our hearts at all times: “Let all with one accord, in common bond united Build this our nation together And the glory of Kenya, the fruit of our labor Fill every heart with thanksgiving,” they concluded.
In the statement shared with AMECEA online, the Religious representatives were drawn from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK), and Organization of African Instituted Churches.
