Clergy to Annan: Poverty could cause Kenyan conflict

Chief Mediator Kofi Annan has heard the escalating poverty and high food prices could be next cause of conflict in Kenya October 19, 2011. FILE

Chief Mediator Kofi Annan has heard the escalating poverty and high food prices could be next cause of conflict in Kenya.

Religious leaders who met the former UN chief at Serena Hotel in Nairobi, Wednesday expressed concern that the cost of living has risen over the last four years pushing poverty levels in Kenya.

“The prices of food, fuel and other basic commodities have continued to rise and many Kenyans can barely survive. The falling value of the Kenyan shilling against other world currencies especially the dollar means that the trend is likely to persist,” the religious leaders said in a statement to Dr Annan.

National Council of Churches of Kenya secretary general Peter Karanja who addressed journalists after the closed door meeting said “people could only be pushed so far” and urged the government to intervene and ease pressure on Kenyans due to increased cost of living.

Others who accompanied the Rev Karanja were Hindu Council of Kenya chairman Vanraj Sarvaiya, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims director general Lattif Shaban, Dr Willy Mutiso of Evangelical Alliance, Dr Gerry Kibarabara and Rev Joseph Methu.

Ingredients for violence

The leaders said poverty and idle youth are precipitate ingredients for violence as happened in 2007 “and therefore something needs to be done.”

“The measures taken by the government have not been able to arrest this situation. Past events have proved that even when the economy was doing well growing at seven percent per annum much of the benefits were not trickling down to the citizens,” the leaders said.

They said community economies on the grassroots should be empowered to enable ordinary citizens generate wealth.

The religious leaders spelt out seven issues they said should be given priority in the next one to two years. They include national healing and reconciliation, addressing poverty and rising cost of living, determining date for next General Elections and proper preparation done, formation of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, stoppage of politicians from mobilizing support on tribal lines.

The leaders regretted that divisions among Kenyans as a result of 2007 polls has not been healed and that the efforts need to be scaled in the next 12 months.

The religious leaders urged the Annan led Panel of Eminent Personalities to supplement the efforts of Kenyans by exerting pressure politicians to restrain from mobilising for support along ethnic lines.

They further told politicians to tread carefully as new electoral and boundaries commission and build confidence of the body instead of discrediting it even before it is born.

Expect justice

They vowed to continue pushing for free and fair elections and legal means of solving any electoral disputes.

“We call upon the international community to support the Government of Kenya and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in their quest for conducting peaceful, secure, free and fair elections,” they said.

They also called for support of non state actors to conduct voter education, peace dialogue processes and interventions that create an enabling environment for peaceful, secure, free and fair 2012 elections.

The religious leaders added that Kenyans expect justice from the International Criminal Court which is handling cases of six Kenyans suspected to have masterminded the 2007 post election chaos.

They also want a local mechanism established to try those who bear lesser responsibility.

Dr Annan is in the country to review progress made in the implementation of reforms and met various leaders including Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.