Nairobi, Kenya
As Kenya heads to the polls on 9th August, religious leaders are calling on Kenyans not to vote for “corrupt” leaders and those with questionable integrity, saying such leaders will collapse the country’s economy.
The religious leaders said it was time for Kenyans to elect “God-fearing leaders” in a bid to fight against social evils such as corruption, hunger and poverty.
Kenyans attend a political rally during campaigns. PICTURE: Raila Odinga Press Team.
The East African country of more than 50 million people has been embroiled in corruption since independence. Major corruption scandals in the country in the last two decades have included the National Youth Service Scandal, Eurobond Scandal, Arror and Kimwarer Dams Scandal, Obado Corruption Scandal, and the recent KEMSA mismanagement of COVID-19 funds. Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Kenya at number 128 out of 180 countries (in which those countries seen as least corrupt rank at number one).
Pastor David Ouma, of Joy Pentecostal Church in Nairobi, said the government has failed to fight corruption and it was now time for voters to vote out politicians who have failed to fight the menace. He said corruption had delayed development in the country, destroyed people’s futures, and drained the economy.
“I want to urge voters to be very careful during this election and vote for God-fearing leaders and those who have integrity because they will not entertain any corruption,” he urged. “In the past elections, we have made mistakes by voting leaders who have looted taxpayers’ money, employed their relatives, and mutilated our constitution.”
Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri. PICTURE: Eutycas Muchiri.
Archbishop Antony Muheria, of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri, urged Kenyans to look at the character and manifestos of a leader before voting for them, warning that electing leaders with questionable integrity would destroy the country.
“An electable leader should desist corruption at all levels and serve as an example to others,” said Archbishop Muheria while urging politicians not to incite Kenyans to engage in violence for their own selfish.”We must seek a leader who commits to fighting corruption and offers concrete actions on how to do so. We must refuse to elect a leader who perceives and propagates the cancer of corruption.”
He also advised Kenyans to be careful not to elect leaders who promote unethical proposals in their manifestos, such as abortion, drug use, and liberalisation of sexual activities.
“We caution and ask you to stand against bad leaders who propose destroying life in its initial stages in their mother’s womb,” Archbishop Muheria told congregants in June, during the mass, while giving out an election guide in Nyeri, a town in central Kenya. “For a nation to thrive, it must be founded on sound ethical principles. Those who have an agenda of liberalisation of sexual behaviour, including pornography, and those proposing the destruction of our youth through liberalisation of drug use must not be elected.”
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdi Abdullahi opined that corruption would only end if religious leaders were united in rejecting politicians who come to churches and mosques to donate the money they have looted from the public coffers.
“Religious leaders should reject stolen money from politicians. Most politicians are rushing to places of worship to donate stolen money as they seek votes,” he said.
