Church stand on drat law self-serving

The Church has opposed the Proposed Constitution ostensibly on the grounds that it has given constitutional and legal recognition to the Kadhi courts as well as abortion.

The reason for this unyielding stance might be less to do with these two issues; rather it has to do with an effort to re-assert its relevance in the country.

The Church lost its moral authority over the beliefs, attitudes and conduct of professing Christians years ago. Its authority reached its nadir of influence during the referendum in 2005, during the General Election of 2007 and then, again, during post-election violence.

The current contest is more about supremacy: It is a fight between the Church and politicians and has little to do with Kadhis’ courts and abortion.

There is little the Church can offer Kenyans on abortion after having failed to grapple with the permissiveness that has allowed this moral depravity in the first place.

The ECK’s inability to conduct free and fair polls in 2007 resulted in the tears and blood we witnessed after the elections. Many people died, while others were injured. Thousands were uprooted from their homes and we are yet to conclusively resettled internally displaced persons, many of whom are leading deplorable lives.

Fear of 2012

Millions of wananchi live in fear of 2012. This fear has little to do with abortion and Kadhi courts. It is a fear the political establishment will not — in the absence of a new constitution — have put up systems to ensure a level playing field in electoral politics.

The fear is about going to the polls without putting in place mechanisms to help guard against possible misuse of power to the detriment of those groups and regions that will not be in control of State institutions.

A constitution that assures victors and losers alike that Kenya belongs to all regardless of who is in power is what Kenyans need more than anything else.

The Kadhis’ courts have been in the current Constitution since 1964 and they have never compromised the legitimate rights and entitlements of the Church — as individual members or as a corporate body.

To dangle the entrenchment of the Kadhis’ courts in the Proposed Constitution as a reason to oppose it during the forthcoming referendum is devious.

The Proposed Constitution does not authorise wholesale abortions by pregnant mothers. It, in fact, affirms the sanctity of life, saying that life begins at conception — something the current Constitution does not envision.

Unborn baby

While it recognises the life of the unborn baby, it nevertheless equally recognises the safety, dignity and emotional integrity of the mother.

Whenever the pregnancy becomes a clear and present danger to the safety and life of the mother, the Proposed Constitution gives trained medical personnel the room to terminate it to save the woman. I don’t see anything ungodly in this.

The Church should help the political establishment to put the country on a firmer foundation instead of hiding behind the Kadhis’ courts and abortion to fight politicians.

{Kennedy Buhere, via e-mail}