Religious leaders warn parties against flawed nominations
Maranatha Faith Assemblies International Director Curt Johansson (right) and his wife during the church’s Jubilee celebrations on February 26, 2017. On the left is Kenyan General Overseer John Abisa and a church official. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP CORRESPONDENT
What you need to know:
- They said suitable aspirants risked being locked out of party primaries as corrupt and moneyed individuals buy nomination certificates.
- Rev Abisai warned Kenyans against ethnic divisions, saying voters should be left to elect candidates on the basis of their credentials.
- The religious leaders said parties should ensure there is a level playing field and use credible mechanisms to pick candidates for the polls.
Religious leaders are warning that bungled party primaries could jeopardise peace in the run up to the August 8 General Election.
The preachers said political parties should not be allowed to stifle democracy by selling their tickets to the ‘highest bidders.’
Warning that western Kenya was likely to be a hotspot of nomination chaos, the clergy said some corrupt party officials were stifling democracy, and should be held to account for breeding hooliganism.
Speaking during Maranatha Faith Assemblies golden jubilee celebrations in Migori Town on Monday, the religious leaders said parties should ensure there is a level playing field and use credible mechanisms to pick candidates for the polls.
They said suitable aspirants risked being locked out of party primaries as corrupt and moneyed individuals buy nomination certificates.
“There are occasions when voters make their choices but certificates are awarded to incompetent aspirants who have offered bribes,” said Reverend Fanuel Nyambuoro, the MFA general secretary during the celebrations presided over by the assembly’s international overseer Curt Johansson and his Kenyan counterpart John Abisai.
PEACEFUL ELECTIONS
Mr Johansson said: “We need peaceful elections in Kenya and we will continue praying for them for the current good relations to continue.”
Rev Abisai warned Kenyans against ethnic divisions, saying voters should be left to elect candidates on the basis of their credentials adding that the church will continue criticising wrongdoings.
He called on the youth to stop being used by politicians to cause chaos adding that violence destroys their future.
During the Jubilee celebrations, faithful praised Maranatha Faith Assemblies, which is an affiliate of the Trosgnistan Mission in Sweden, for its relentless community service.
With the help of donors, the church has spent billions of shillings in putting up schools and fighting for the rights of the girl child.
The mission, which is a member of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, has 1,400 churches, has been fighting negative cultural practices besides running two rehabilitation centres for victims of female genital mutilation and early marriages at Komotobo in Kuria East and Kamatutura in Kuria West.
The bishops’ comments come hot on the heels of a recent report that showed money, and not integrity, was a key factor in elections.
The survey commissioned by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy and done between April and June 2016 revealed that out of the 514 respondents, 56 per cent had received a bribe from a party, an aspirant or a candidate.
