NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 29 -The Catholic Church has remained firm that it would not support calls for a fresh election.
Nairobi Archbishop, John Cardinal Njue said on Sunday that it was time for the country to move on adding that another election would just divide Kenyans.
This came even as the National Council of Churches of Kenya embarked on collecting one million signatures from Kenyans to call for a new election.
“We are not part of it,” the Cardinal said.
“I know people are angry because of the difficulties that we have but I can tell you I just came recently from Italy and they also have serious problems particularly because of the economy. So this is a global problem,” he said.
Cardinal Njue called on politicians to solve their political problems in private instead of bringing them to the public limelight.
His sentiments were supported by Cabinet Minister Esther Murugi and Government Chief Whip George Thuo who said it would be unfair to have another election when there were people who still lived in Internally Displaced Person’s camps following the post 2007 election violence.
“I don’t think the country is ready, we have not even healed. I think we are all getting too excited about things that are non issues when there are issues. The country right now is hungry to me that is the priority that we should be addressing,” said the Gender and Children’s Affairs Minister Esther Murugi.
“I don’t think it is a priority we are talking about going out internationally to make appeals for food so do we get Sh20 billion or Sh30 billion for food or do we first hold an election?” the Government Chief Whip posed.
They were speaking after a Sunday Mass where they also warned against abuse of censure motions in parliament.
The two legislators accused some Members of Parliament of getting too excited over non issues.
They said the pending censure motion against Justice Minister Martha Karua was uncalled for.
“I think it’s a lot of nonsense, and I think a censure motion is neither here nor there. Let us first deliver to the wananchi (People),” Ms Murugi said.
“And am asking my fellow colleagues in parliament, don’t throw a stone because you could be living in a glass house and the stone may shutter your house,” she added.
Mr Thuo said: “We are getting too excited about these motions and although I have not seen this motion, in my personal opinion we are carrying these things a bit far.”
Budalangi Member of Parliament Ababu Namwamba is expected to move a no confidence vote against the Justice Minister once parliament resumes its sittings.
If the motion is brought to parliament, Ms Karua would be the third Cabinet Minister after former Finance Minister Amos Kimunya (now Trade Minister) and Agriculture Minister William Ruto, to have a vote of no confidence against them in the tenth parliament.
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