KENYA: Lack of Commitment in Handling Corruption in Kenya, a Great Concern for Faith Leaders
Members of DRG addressing the media. Credit Hope Tv
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Faith Leaders in Kenya have raised concern on lack of government’s commitment to handling corruption cases in the country centering their focus on how “high level crimes” have been dropped in the recent past.
“We are concerned that the country has not exhibited firm commitment to deal with corruption, and are shocked by the manner in which the Director of Public Prosecutions is dropping cases touching on high level crimes,” members of Dialogue Reference Group (DRG) said in a statement dated Thursday, December 15, after a two-day meeting at Ufungamano house, Nairobi.
Faith leaders comprising of representatives from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), National Muslim Leaders Forum, Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK), Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and Shia Asna Asheri Jamaat, are members of Dialogue Reference Group (DRG) that was created nearly four years ago to address the political and governance crisis in the country and prevent resurgence of violence.
They wonder the independency of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) following “The public confession by the Director that he was influenced by the previous regime to frame people through court cases.”
According to the Religious leaders in relation to public confession by the Director, this “means the office has lost independence, and can no longer be trusted to not be influenced by the current regime to similarly frame other people.”
For this reason, members of DRG said after their third National Dialogue Conference, “We recommend that the Director takes time for introspection and takes decisive action to reassure Kenyans of the independence of this key constitutional organ.”
As a further concern for implementation of the framework for national dialogue, Religious leaders called on the President to constitute a multi sectoral task force to undertake an objective review of the implementation of the Constitution owing to the fact that process to review the Constitution of Kenya through the Building Bridges Initiative, failed.
“This will inform any further recommendations for amendment of the Constitution and legal framework of the nation,” reads part of the DRG’s statement as members add, “The principle of people-driven constitution review process must be maintained at all times.”
They further reiterated that the country requires dignified opposition as a measure of promoting accountability in governance, urge the President to facilitate adequate public participation so that all Kenyans agree on how to attain this measure.
Additionally, Faith leaders acknowledged the need of public participation in the governance and welfare of our nation noting that “each individual has a right to contribute to the matters that affect their lives.”
Base on this, DRG members call upon the County and National Governments “to put in place meaningful public participation structures and processes that will be achieved when the people are accorded adequate access to information and timelines to make their contributions.”
Other issues of national concern raised during the two-day meeting from November 14-15, is on the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), climate change, poverty and economic reforms.
Recognizing the public discourse that has arisen following the resolution by the Cabinet to lift the ban on importation and production of Genetically Modified Organisms,” religious leaders said, “We urge the government to suspend the decision until adequate public participation has been conducted.”
They continued concerning climate change, “There is great distress across the country due to food insecurity. Many families continue to sleep hungry. We call upon the government to initiate a multi-sectoral process that includes national and county governments to develop a workable national strategy to address climate change and ensure food security for all.”
They also called upon the government to identify and implement measures that will empower Kenyans to absorb the economic shocks and rising cost of living owing to the fact that poverty continues to ravage the citizens in the country.
“Of special need is to focus on the youth who have been excluded from national life. We recommend a consultative process to develop an economic recovery strategy,” they said.
In conclusion, the Faith leaders urged all Kenyans to treasure and take opportunity to participate in governance and decision-making processes at all levels emphasizing that, through participation, “We will actively contribute in achievement of the prayer we make in our 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.”
