Catholic Bishops statement
Sophie Ngugi
>
>
> On Saturday, 9 November 2013, 21:37, John Ashworth <ashwor...@gmail.com> wrote:
> While this pastoral statement is specific to Kenya, many of the issues
> and much of the advice can be applied to other countries including
> South Sudan.
>
> John
>
> BEGIN
>
> A Pastoral Statement of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops
>
> Our Beloved Nation, Our Concerns
>
> “Yahweh loves those who hate evil, He keeps safe his faithful” (Psalm 97: 10-12)
>
> 1. INTRODUCTION
>
> We, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting at Ukweli
> Pastoral Centre in the Archdiocese of Kisumu, have reflected deeply on
> the state of the Nation. As shepherds, we feel very close to our
> brothers and sisters in our nation. The ordinary Kenyan has gone
> through a period of great anxiety caused by the terrorist attacks,
> insecurity, road accidents, and the uncertainty caused by the
> political see-saws.
>
> We want to tell every single Kenyan that we have a responsibility, and
> we as your shepherds invite you to hope, and to each take our role in
> our society. We therefore wish to share some reflections and concerns,
> on the current state of our country.
>
> 2. STATE OF INSECURITY
>
> We are deeply concerned about the general state of insecurity across
> the country. Of particular mention are: the insecurity in the coast
> and northern Kenya regions, the burning of churches and killing of
> religious leaders in cold blood.
>
> We are greatly troubled by increasing cases of kidnappings, carjacking
> and terrorist attacks in our country. We wish to once again remind our
> fellow citizens that the security of this country starts with each and
> every one of us. As such, we ask all Kenyans, to be ever more vigilant
> and not to lower their guard. In this regard, we commend the recent
> government initiative to involve every Kenyan in security matters and
> community policing. It reminds all of us that we must endeavour to be
> each other’s keeper when it comes to security issues. We still remind
> the government that more needs to be done. The country cannot afford
> to gamble with the security of her citizens.
>
> We appreciate efforts by our Muslim brothers and sisters to
> disassociate themselves from violence. However it is regrettable that
> some people continue to use the name of God and religion to kill and
> maim innocent people. We also disassociate ourselves from demands by
> some religious leaders for arms to defend themselves and their flock.
> Religious extremism will only brew more conflicts and create more
> division and strife among communities. We believe in peace and insist
> that it is the duty of the government to provide security for its
> citizens.
>
> 3. CORRUPTION AND GREED
>
> Corruption continues to be a dragon that preys on our country’s
> present and future. In the last few weeks, the media has been awash
> with allegations of corruption and mismanagement of public funds in a
> number of public offices. We urge all Kenyans to exercise the highest
> levels of integrity in their day to day duties.
>
> We note with a lot of concern that corruption has directly led to
> numerous deaths on our roads caused by drivers with little respect for
> human life and police who have just refused to implement the law.
>
> The duty of rooting out corruption belongs to every Kenyan. Our dear
> Kenyans, we need to save our lives and our nation for ourselves and
> the future generations. Our dear Kenyans, every one of us;
> politicians, leaders and ordinary citizens; police and the judiciary;
> must take upon themselves the commitment to fight corruption. WE MUST
> CHANGE FROM OUR CORRUPT WAYS IF WE WANT TO SAVE THIS COUNTRY!
>
> 4. THE ILL OF NEGATIVE ETHNICITY
>
> While we reaffirm our support for devolution and decentralized
> governance, we warn against emerging trends of corruption, nepotism
> and unjustifiable spending in the various leadership offices.
>
> The fact that elected leaders manipulate the legislative process to
> demand for unreasonable remunerations, while a majority of Kenyans
> wallow in poverty, goes to prove how insensitive our leadership has
> become. There is an increasing tendency to discriminate against other
> people on the basis of their religion and ethnic affiliations. It is
> regrettable that religious and ethnic exclusiveness are still rampant
> in the central and regional governments. We also urge national
> leadership to promote unity and ensure equal representation of all
> Kenyans in state and national appointments and distribution of
> resources.
>
> 5. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
>
> The ICC cases facing our President and his Deputy are causing a lot of
> anxiety. While we appreciate that the ICC tribunal has considered to
> make the timetable fairly flexible, we urge all Kenyans to be calm,
> united and patient allowing the court process to run its course.
>
> 6. PROPOSED MEDIA LAW
>
> We have noticed the heat generated by the proposed media law that
> seeks to regulate the operations and conduct of journalists, bloggers
> and other communicators. Without delving into the merits or demerits
> of the proposed law, we remind all Kenyans and more so the drafters of
> the bill that the current constitution encourages public participation
> in its implementation. Making of new laws or amendments therefore
> calls for the participation of all stakeholders.
>
> The role of the media in highlighting issues of national interest and
> encouraging public discussion should never be underestimated. While
> calling for a clear respect for the freedom of the media, we urge the
> press to be more responsible and aware of the power they wield to
> build or to destroy and must be guided by the truth.
>
> CONCLUSION
>
> We, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, in the words of St Paul,
> “…beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have
> been called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting
> one another in charity. Be anxious to preserve the unity of the Spirit
> within the bonds of peace” (Ephesians: 4:1-3).
>
> May God Bless our Land and Nation
>
> “Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu, Ilete Baraka Kwetu…” (National Anthem).
>
> ___________________________________
>
> His Eminence John Cardinal Njue
>
> Chairman, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB)
>
> Kisumu,Thursday 7th November 2013
>
> [The signature of 25 other bishops follows]
>
> END
>
> ______________________
> John Ashworth
>
> Sudan, South Sudan Advisor
>
> ashwor...@gmail.com
>
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>
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>
> This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily
> reflect the views of any organisation
>
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Njeri Gakonyo
Thanks so much for forwarding this statement, Sophie. What I would like to hear more from religious authorities in the country is acknowledgement of their unique/unparalleled role in Kenya’s moral condition/future and how they plan to address our current abysmal moral standards. No one else has the kind of platform they have and it screams opportunity and responsibility.
Njeri
--
Lets engage on what it means to say 'I Am Kenyan' ... today
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