NCIC, churches concerned over rising political temperatures
Protesters jump over the University of Nairobi gate as they scampered for safety when police lobbed tear gas canisters during anti-IEBC demonstrations on May 16, 2016. The NCIC and church leaders are concerned about a “volatile political environment in the country”. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- NCIC and church leaders met to discuss the way forward on what they called a "volatile political environment in the country".
- Rev Karanja said the media had a very significant role in preventing the amplification of toxic talk from politicians so as to encourage unity and congeniality.
- Bishop Alfred Rotich said elections must never be the source of disintegration, death and destruction of property.
- He said it was the responsibility and duty of all Kenyans to engage in peaceful elections.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has said that demonstrations being staged against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) across the country are permissible as long as they are peaceful and non-destructive.
“Peaceful demonstrations are allowed by the Constitution and we would have no problem with the demonstrations as long as they are peaceful,” NCIC chairman Francis ole Kaparo said Monday.
He was responding to queries by journalists at the NCIC offices in Nairobi about the commission’s stand on the opposition-led protests against the electoral body.
Mr Kaparo said this even as the commission and church leaders met to discuss the way forward on what they called a "volatile political environment in the country".
He said the agency had been observing and following the charged political atmosphere sparked by politicians as well as fervent discussions on social media.
POLITICAL TEMPERATURES
“As NCIC and leaders of the various churches represented here we are concerned about the already heightened political temperatures around the country and we are here to find novel ways of resolving this,” said Mr Kaparo.
Rev Canon Peter Karanja, the general-secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya said political temperatures seemed to be rising and it was their prayer that the country and relevant institutions were prepared enough so that the upcoming election is held peacefully.
He said the media had a significant role in preventing the amplification of toxic talk from politicians so as to encourage unity and congeniality.
Bishop Alfred Rotich, representing the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, said elections must never be the source of disintegration, death and destruction of property.
“We must hold elections in a peaceful and harmonious manner without breaking this country,” he said.
He added that it was the responsibility and duty of all Kenyans to engage in peaceful elections.
Mr Kaparo said the agency was considering calling politicians from across the political divide to a roundtable dialogue on calming the political tension in the country.
