The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) wants the reforms done under the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) must be people driven to reflect on the anticipated governance and electoral reforms proposed in the report.
NCCK said the NADCO report that was recently passed by Parliament and earmarked for implementation was a negotiated political compromise to a perennial crisis in the electoral circle in a perpetual struggle for power and money.
The General Secretary, Rev Canon Chris Kinyanjui said the country is faced with many challenges such as economic and health crisis among others and calls for adequate participation of the public and opposed Parliament plans to make the amendments without involving stakeholders.
Presenting the NCCK statement at a press briefing held at Christian Students’ Leadership Center, Ufungamano House, the NCCK Chairman Nairobi Region Rev. Dr. Alphonse Kanga said the churches have assessed the nine Bills that are being processed by the National Assembly, and taken into consideration the age-old definition of democracy themed ‘A government of the people, by the people, for the people’.
Rev. Kanga NCCK shares the message with the people of Kenya including validation of NADCO report which states that all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya, and should be exercised either directly or through democratically elected representatives and requires organs to act in accordance with the constitution.
“For this reason, it is absolute necessity that the report of the NADCO be taken to the people of Kenya for validation before it is implemented,” he said.
He added that the people of Kenya have a basic right to know and agree with the recommendations made by NADCO, hence it would not be proper for the National Assembly to unilaterally implement decisions that radically affect the governance and electoral environment
Kanga urged both the Speakers of National Assembly and Senate to have the report published and accessed by Kenyans while at the same time calling on the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to hold sittings in the counties to receive feedback from citizens.
He said the feedback will enable the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee review the Parliamentary Bills attendant to the NADCO report to reflect on the people’s wishes.
Bishop Joseph Omollo, a presiding Bishop of Evangelical Church said electoral reforms should focus on improving governance, accountability and legitimacy by securing peaceful, free and credible elections and improving participation and representation of the youth, women, and persons with disabilities in elective bodies.
By Sharon Atieno
