Church blames MPs for passing shoddy Bills

By Antony Gitonga

The Catholic Church has expressed concern over the quality of Bills recently passed by Parliament.

Led by chairman of Kenya Episcopal Conference John Cardinal Njue, the 26 bishops urged Kenyans to closely scrutinise the Bills, which were passed in a hurry to beat deadlines in implementing the Constitution.

“The church is concerned with the backlog of Bills, their quality, and the last minute rush to beat deadlines as experienced in the last one year,” reads the pastoral letter in part.

The bishops called on all actors involved in the police service, judicial, land and electoral process reforms to do it with good intention.

Njue expressed concern over tens of IDPs still languishing in poverty in temporary and cramped transit camps countrywide. He called on the Government to resettle them and end their suffering.

The church demanded answers on what happened to the land formerly owned by the IDPs and who was occupying it at the moment.

“As your bishops, we call upon you to look at the past and the present of our country and shape our political relationship and thinking in a way that harmony will prevail,” said Njue.  He said the principles of democracy, respect for human life and the role of the electoral body and the Judiciary were vital ahead of the elections.

“It is not the pledges or tribal allegiance that should drive us to the ballot, but respect for the dignity of man and the common good,” Cardinal Njue said.

The prelate called on the Government to urgently help the youth get identity cards.