Raila, clergymen in talks on vote
Cord leaders Raila Odinga, his co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka (right) and church leaders. They met at Mr Odinga’s Capital Hill office in Nairobi Thursday.
What you need to know:
- The clerics reportedly presented a memorandum detailing contentious issues they want addressed through amendments to the Constitution.
- The memorandum was read out by Bishop Adoyo who decried the rate at which Parliament was enacting laws detrimental to the Christian faith.
- They also complained about a new requirement compelling them to pay before being allowed to conduct marriages. Mr Odinga urged the leaders to speak out against the ills in Kenya without fear.
Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka Thursday reached out to religious leaders for support in their push for a referendum.
The two met several church leaders to discuss contentious issues touching on religion, which can be addressed through the vote.
Okoa Kenya team chairman of experts Paul Mwangi attended the meeting at Mr Odinga’s Capital Hill office in Nairobi.
The church leaders present included bishops Boniface Adoyo, John Obonyo, Jonathan Soi, Ochenge Masaki, Philip Ngetich, Rev Bernard Amianda and Rev Japheth Koech.
MEMORANDUM
The clerics reportedly presented a memorandum detailing contentious issues they want addressed through amendments to the Constitution.
Among the issues is the creation of a Christian Regulatory Commission to represent the needs of the Christian community in Kenya.
The commission, the church leaders said, will handle issues such registration and regulation of churches. It will also be charged with vetting organisations seeking to be registered as churches and, besides arbitrating on disputes involving Christians to lessen the number of Christian issues ending up in courts.
The memorandum was read out by Bishop Adoyo who decried the rate at which Parliament was enacting laws detrimental to the Christian faith.
Citing the Marriage Act (2014), Bishop Adoyo stated; “The enactment of laws that touch on Christianity in the absence of a regulatory consent from the churches will ultimately strain interactions between the Church and the government of Kenya.” They also want a provision inserted in the Constitution creating an equivalent of the Kadhi’s Court to handle issues affecting Christians.
“It is advisable to give the Christian community a commission with requisite judicial roles.”
“This would mitigate specific cases that relate to Christian faith and do not necessarily need to be taken to public courts,” Bishop Adoyo said.
They also complained about a new requirement compelling them to pay before being allowed to conduct marriages. Mr Odinga urged the leaders to speak out against the ills in Kenya without fear.
Mr Musyoka appealed to the Church to stand up against tribalism. The Cord principals were, however, non-committal on the demand that abortion be made illegal.
