NAIROBI, Kenya, May 24 – Catholic Bishops on Sunday expressed concern over the ongoing political bickering occasioned by the 2022 succession race.
In a statement issued by Bishop of Eldoret Diocese Dominic Kimengich, the clergy under the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) called on the political leaders to commit themselves to serving Kenyans and shun divisive politics which he noted risk sinking the country into instability.
“Our people are confused and are unable to understand, what is really happening to our politicians, the promises they had made. People are still hurt, the wounds of the 2007/8 post-election violence are still not healed.”
“Please I beg you do not open these wounds. Please see the good of this country and put aside the political games and the jostling for political positioning regarding the 2022 elections,” the Bishop pleaded.
Kenyans have been treated to heightened political activity over the last two weeks which was sparked off by the signing of a post-election coalition pact between Jubilee Party under President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Gideon Moi-led independent party KANU which gave way to the replacement the ruling party’s Senate leadership.
Those axed, mainly Senators loyal to Deputy President William Ruto, include Elegyo-Marakwet’s Kipchumba Murkomen, Nakuru’s Susan Kihika and Tharaka-Nithi’s Kithure Kindiki as the Majority Leader, Majority Whip and Senate Deputy Speaker respectively.
The ongoing purge in Parliament is meant to push out perceived allies of DP Ruto who are seen as possible threats to government plans to amend the Constitution through the Building Bridges Initiative championed by Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Changes are also expected to be effected in the National Assembly where the DP is said to have stronghold.
The Catholic Bishops stressed on the need for political leaders to focus their efforts on eliminating the spread coronavirus from the country.
“Indeed this is not the time for politics, this is the time that all our leaders should unite to fight all our enemy. We have a big problem ahead of us and if we do not put all our energies in eradicating COVID-19, there may be no people to rule in 2022,” the Eldoret Diocese Bishop said in a statement on behalf of his colleagues in the KCCB.