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Foster “issue-based, solution-oriented approach”: Kenya’s Faith Leader to Politicians

Silas Isenjia

By Silas Isenjia

Nairobi, 14 March, 2023 / 8:47 pm (ACI Africa).

Religious leaders in Kenya have urged President William Samoei Ruto and members of the opposition to “spearhead issue-based and solution-oriented approach to politics”.

In a Tuesday, March 24 statement shared with ACI Africa, the religious leaders under the auspices of the Dialogue Reference Group (DRG) also urge President Ruto who was elected during the August 2022 polls to initiate dialogue with the opposition.

“Just as you accepted to spearhead an issue-based campaign before the elections, we now urge you to spearhead solution-oriented politics and administration,” say the religious leaders who include representatives of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), and Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK).

They continue, “Having settled in office, we now urge you to lead your administration on focusing on solving the problems Kenyans are going through. The nation is depending on you to give forward-looking rather than reverse-heading leadership.”

The faith leaders who also include representatives from the National Muslim Leaders Forum, Organization of African Instituted Churches, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) remind Kenya’s Head of State that he is the symbol of national unity and urge him to “focus the nation's attention on the oneness, equity, and equality of all Kenyans.”

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“We call to your attention the ethnic and class-oriented divisions in the country,” they say and add that the President needs to dialogue with the opposition “to promote dialogue for the betterment of the nation.”

On March 10, Kenya’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga, announced the beginning of peaceful demonstrations against President Ruto’s government starting March 20 in the capital, Nairobi.

The mass protests are set to start after the lapse of a 14-day ultimatum that the Azimio One Kenya Coalition leader had issued to the President to address the cost of living, stop the appointment of new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners, and to open the 2022 presidential election servers.

The Religious leaders underscore the need for President Ruto to reach out to the opposition and realize “national conversations”. 

“The challenges facing our nation require national conversations, not adversarial politics,” the faith leaders say, and urge leaders of the opposition to “spearhead issue-based and solution-oriented approach to politics to avoid being seen as champions of anarchy.”

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Rather than organizing mass actions against the government, they encourage the opposition to propose “viable solutions to ameliorate the immense suffering Kenyans are experiencing.”

“We urge you (opposition) to reconsider the proposed mass action program and instead embrace dialogue and other peaceful approaches that do not threaten the lives and livelihoods of Kenyans,” they say.

In the three-page statement following a meeting at Ufungamano House in Nairobi, the religious leaders urge the people of God in the East African nation to remain calm amid challenges and provocations.

They also urge Kenyans to commit to national cohesion and peaceful coexistence and to resist “political and social leaders who drive divisions and bitterness, and embrace those who focus on developing solutions for the challenges we are experiencing.”

To effectively resist leaders promoting bitterness and divisions, the religious leaders urge Kenyans to “deliberately engage all public participation forums and opportunities, taking every chance to influence policy and decision-making process.”

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“We should not leave the destiny of our families in the hands of politicians alone, and should instead adopt the mantra of ‘Nothing for us without us’”, they say.

The religious leaders urge Kenyans to participate in governance at all levels so as to ensure that those in leadership positions focus on service delivery for the betterment of all people.

Silas Isenjia

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.