Reach out to Opposition now, religious leaders urge President Uhuru Kenyatta

Religious Leaders The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops(KCCB), National Council of Churches of Kenya( NCCK), National Muslim Leaders Forum(NAMLEF), Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), Organization of African Institute of Churches (OAIC), Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK), Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) addressing the press conference for an urgent solution to avert an imminent crisis that could complicate the 2017 General Election due to IEBC protests. ON 27/05/2016 PHOTO;JENIPHER WACHIE

Religious leaders have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to take the lead in resolving the current dispute over the electoral commission.

The spiritual leaders drawn from eight groups said President Kenyatta must reach out to Opposition leaders on the issues raised over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Speaking after meeting in Nairobi, the clerics led by Reverend Canon Peter Karanja, the General-Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), said the IEBC issue requires an urgent solution to avert a crisis similar to the 2007/2008 poll chaos.

“We call upon the President to facilitate a mutually agreeable settlement of the IEBC dispute. We appeal to him to support structured discussions with the Opposition in person,” said Canon Karanja.

Representatives from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, Hindu Council of Kenya and the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, attended the three-hour meeting.

Members from the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Seventh Day Adventist and the National Muslim Leaders Forum also attended the meeting in Karen, Nairobi. They announced that they were ready to be part of the dialogue.

Karanja warned that the stand-off over the polls commission and the grand-standing exhibited by Jubilee and CORD leaders is a threat to national peace and cohesion.

Imminent crisis

 “An urgent political solution is required to avert an imminent crisis that could complicate the next years’ elections and plunge the country into another round of post-election violence,” he said.

The Reverend Philip Anyolo said Jubilee leaders should genuinely reach out to the Opposition and engage them to build a consensus on the management of the next General Election.

“The leaders from Jubilee and CORD and other political parties must know that Kenyans will hold them accountable should the country slide back to anarchy because of unyielding competing political interests,” cautioned Anyolo.

The Opposition led by CORD leader Raila Odinga has staged weekly demonstrations in various parts of the country, demanding the removal of IEBC commissioners, whom they accuse of favouring Jubilee.

Protests in some parts of the country turned bloody last Monday after police officers shot dead three demonstrators in Siaya and Kisumu counties, prompting widespread condemnation from Kenyans, the international community and the church.

CORD leaders, who have emphasized they will only accept to negotiate with the government once IEBC is disbanded, on Wednesday said they have suspended protests for a week to mourn the deaths of their supporters and give an opportunity to dialogue.

The Opposition chiefs, however, announced the would hold a parallel Madaraka Day fete on June 1 in Nairobi, as President Kenyatta will be leading Kenyans to commemorate the day in Nakuru.

But the clergymen yesterday faulted the move and appealed to Opposition leaders to shelf the plans and join the President in Nakuru in marking the day.

“We ask the Opposition leaders to unconditionally call off their planned parallel Madaraka Day event at Uhuru Park. Raila, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula should be invited to the Nakuru celebrations and they should honour the invitations,” said Archbishop Martin Kivuva.

 Meanwhile, the Council of Bishops at the Coast has praised CORD for suspending demonstrations against IEBC.

The church leaders said in Mombasa yesterday that CORD should drop the demonstrations permanently and unconditionally and enter into dialogue with Jubilee.

Chairman of the group, Bishop Joseph Maisha said for the past few weeks, Kenyans have witnessed indicators of a country being systematically, deliberately and ruthlessly being divided.

“Unbridled utterances and insults from both sides are dividing Kenyans. We call upon politicians and all parties concerned to rethink their actions,” said Maisha.