Stop Believing Government Lies, Churches Tell Kenyans
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has issued a rallying cry to Kenyans, urging them to reject government misinformation and take a stand against underperforming leaders. In a candid joint statement released on Tuesday, the council highlighted the nation’s dire state, comparing it to a critically ill patient in urgent need of intervention.
Seek Truth, Reject False Narratives
Signed by Chairman Rev. Dr. Elias Otieno Agola and General Secretary Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui, the NCCK’s statement emphasized the dangers of accepting political narratives rooted in deception.
“The situation in our country is the direct result of our tendency, as the people of Kenya, to listen to and believe the narratives peddled by persons seeking to rise to or hold onto politics and leadership. These narratives are often premised on lies and falsehoods,” the statement read.
The council implored Kenyans to critically verify information shared by leaders. “We appeal to you, Brothers and Sisters, to be seekers of truth. Do not just believe what is said, but take a step to verify if what you have been told is true.”
MPs Failing the People
Expressing disappointment in the current crop of Members of Parliament (MPs), the NCCK accused them of abandoning their constitutional mandate. Instead of providing oversight over the Executive, the council lamented that MPs have devolved into mere enablers of oppressive laws and policies.
“Instead of representing the people, they have become spanner boys carrying out the work of the Executive. Instead of overseeing the Executive, they are cheerleaders in oppressing the people. Instead of speaking for the people, they are making oppressive laws. This state is unsustainable,” said the NCCK.
Exercise Your Constitutional Right
The council reminded voters of their power to discipline their leaders, calling for the recall of MPs failing to meet their obligations.
“We encourage you as voters to collect signatures and commence the processes of recalling the Members of Parliament who are not performing as per your requirements and demands. As the electorate, you are the employer, not a servant, of the Members of Parliament and other elected leaders. The right of recall is the disciplinary measure availed to us by the Constitution,” the NCCK emphasized.
Democracy Under Threat
Turning to the stalled reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the council criticized the government’s delay as an affront to democracy. They warned that continued neglect of constitutional and legal frameworks risks destabilizing the nation.
“IEBC is the most crucial organ in the exercise of democracy in Kenya, for it is the body mandated to facilitate election and removal of leaders. The persistent refusal by the current political leadership to reconstitute the IEBC is a major insult to the people of Kenya and an attack on who we are as a nation,” the statement read.
The NCCK urged citizens to take a stand. “We encourage you, as the citizens of Kenya, not to give your elected leaders and their appointees peace until they heed the demand for urgent recruitment of IEBC Commissioners as provided for in the Constitution. We urge you to raise your voices to demand that the Judiciary concludes the cases touching on the IEBC reconstitution within the next two weeks. We must get back our democracy.
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Stop Believing Government Lies, Churches Tell Kenyans
