NCCK 62nd General Assembly Communique

No Compromise on Values and Morals

Communique of the NCCK 62^nd General Assembly

Introduction

The 62^nd General Assembly of the National Council of Churches of Kenya has been held here at Jumuia Conference and Beach Resort, Kanamai, from 10^th – 13^th August 2015. The theme of the Assembly was “Shining the Light of Christ – Matt 5: 14 – 16”. During this Assembly, we took time to reflect on the Ten Commandments as recorded in Exodus 20: 1 – 17, appreciating that in these verses God summarises the values and morals we require so as to have good relations with Him and with each other. Recalling that the Preamble of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 states –

“We, the people of Kenya –

Acknowledging the supremacy of Almighty God of all creation…”

we recognize that the only way Kenyans can practically manifest their acceptance of the supremacy of God is by taking seriously His immutable guidelines for living which are summarized in the Ten Commandments.

Having reflected thus, we wish to share the following message with the people of Kenya:

1. 1.      Council Officials

As part of our statutory business, the General Assembly elected new officials into office. In this regard, Reverend Canon Rosemary Mbogo and Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki were re-elected Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Council respectively. Mr Sam Mwale was appointed the Honorary Treasurer. The three officials will serve for a term of three years.

1. 2.      Protection of the Family Unit

This General Assembly has noted with concern the increasing attacks on the family unit, and calls on all Kenyans to arise and use all legal means accessible to them to counter these attacks. We especially wish to remind His Excellency the President and the entire government that the Constitution of Kenya 2010 in Article 45 (1) provides:

“The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and the necessary basis of social order, and shall enjoy the recognition and protection of the State”.

We are therefore grossly disappointed that the government is not only abetting but also allowing its machinery and staff to be used to put in place measures which could result in the harm of the family.

This General Assembly therefore wishes to state the following:

i)                    We unequivocally reject the attempts by some civil societies to push for legalization of homosexuality and other sexual aberrations which are not only sinful but are also repugnant to our people and to the natural order. We especially plead with the Magistrates and Judges in our courts not to allow themselves to be used to sneak in the legalization of such practices through the rulings they make. May you always remember the warning of God recorded in Isaiah 10: 1 – “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees”

ii)                   We reject and condemn the Reproductive Health Care Bill 2014 that is being discussed by the Senate. The bill is not only repugnant but also a blatant attempt to contradict the laws of God and even the Constitution of Kenya 2010, and we are actually puzzled as to why the Senate has entertained it for so long. We call upon all Senators and Members of the National Assembly to vote it out, and remind them that a breakdown of society as would happen if this Bill is implemented will devastate our nation for many generations to come.

iii)                 We also note that there is a multiplicity of bills seeking to address different aspects of health. It is our strong recommendation that these be withdrawn and the issues they seek to address be catered for in a comprehensive health bill.

iv)                We call upon the Attorney General to progress further the consultations with Christian church leaders aimed at reviewing the Marriage Act and attendant regulations that have had the effect of discriminating against Christians and making their weddings very difficult. We hold the position that our laws should make getting married easier.

v)                  We commit ourselves to intensify Family Life Empowerment programmes in our churches and will work to increase the number of rescue homes for girls and women who have unplanned pregnancies so that they can give birth safely as we continue the fight against wanton murder of children in the name of abortion.

1. 3.      Address Issues Touching on Education

This General Assembly urges all Members of the National Assembly to support the amendments of the Basic Education Act 2013, recognizing that the law being amended effectively grabbed and nationalized church-owned schools without consultations or compensation.

Further, this General Assembly wholly rejects the proposed Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum noting that at its core, it not only promotes unfettered sexual promiscuity, abortion and sexual aberrations, but also seeks to take away the rights of children provided for in the Constitution of Kenya 2010 Article 53 (1) (e) which states that “Every child has the right to parental care and protection”. It is our position that parental care and protection includes taking care of the sexuality development of the child. We therefore demand that the curriculum is immediately withdrawn from the 34 schools where it is being piloted.

It is with great sadness that this General Assembly sends condolences to the families of the pupils who drowned in a swimming accident yesterday and those of the students at Stephjoy Secondary School who were killed during an arson attack on their dormitories.

We in this context are reminded that the high levels of indiscipline which we are witnessing in our schools is the result of the lopsided government policies that hinder enforcement of disciplinary measures on students. Time and again Kenyans have witnessed misguided parents using the courts to force indisciplined students back into schools when such are suspended or expelled, thereby putting the lives of the rest of student populations at risk. We wish to remind all Kenyans the simple edict on discipline that is given in Proverbs 23: 13 – 14 – “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death” (NIV).

This General Assembly calls upon the government to mobilize all stakeholders in the education sector to initiate a process that will enable the country to revisit the guidelines on disciplinary measures in schools.

We also call upon all Kenyans to recognize that the way they live is emulated by their children, and what we are witnessing in our schools and communities is a direct reflection of how teachers and other professionals behave.

1. 4.      Make Proper Preparations for the General Elections 2017

This General Assembly notes that even though Kenyans are aware that the next General Elections are meant to be held in August 2017, there are various measures and systems that need to be put in place for a credible and free election. These include:

i)                    There is a strong need for civic and voter education to be initiated so as to prepare the people to vote in good leaders. These initiatives should not be kept pending until next year or the year of elections as they will not then be effective. We wish to remind the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that it is their mandate as provided for in Article 88 (4) (g) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. In deed, civic education should be a deliberate and strategic function.

ii)                   We call for a speedy but authentic resolution of the two thirds gender rule as required by the Constitution and related court rulings.

Further, this General Assembly upholds the position earlier adopted by the Executive Committee that any amendments to the Constitution of Kenya 2010 should be made after the 2017 General Elections. In addition, the process of amending the constitution should not be an arena of political party contests but rather people driven considering the many things within it that need amendment.

1. 5.      Secure Devolution

This General Assembly recognizes that one of the greatest motivations of Kenyans to vote for the Constitution of Kenya 2010 was the provisions on Devolution. The bringing of power, resources and services closer to the people remains one of the clear benefits in the new dispensation. We therefore urge His Excellency the President and the Council of Governors to hold amicable consultations so as to review the Inter Governmental Relations and other devolution-related laws with a view to ending the incessant conflicts between them. The consultations will also seek means of addressing the conflicts and tensions between governors and other elected national and county assembly leaders so as to facilitate focus on development and service delivery. On its part, the church is willing to support arbitration in such consultations for the betterment of our nation.

1. 6.      Address Peace and Security

This General Assembly has reviewed the developments in the last three years with concern, noting that security in the country has deteriorated. It is especially of concern to us that in the recent past, churches and believers have come under attack leading to deaths of many. We therefore call for:

i)                    Finalization of the security sector reforms so as to enhance operational capacities, especially in addressing security command structures

ii)                   Enhancement of intelligence led security operations

iii)                 A comprehensive plan to deal with radicalization of Kenyans into terror groups

iv)                Development of a comprehensive plan to address the scourge of Small Arms and Light Weapons which seem to flow through the country without hindrance due to corruption. It is our conviction that the crisis of illegal small arms and light weapons will not be eliminated by asking people to register what they have since that merely legalizes an illegality. Rather, the government should undertake a complete disarmament of all communities since the security of the nation cannot be handed over to ordinary citizens.

We especially note that these are issues that can be largely addressed through a consultative process leading to the formulation of a National Security Policy.

1. 7.      Support Gender and Climate Justice

This General Assembly establishes a Faith Network for Gender Justice, and urges all Kenyans to support the campaign. Through this campaign, we will seek to work with like-minded institutions to support gender parity in all aspects of lives of Kenyans.

Further, the General Assembly resolves to support the Climate Change Justice Campaign in the lead up to the 21^st Conference of Parties on Climate Change in Paris (COP21). We call upon all Kenyans to sign the petitions urging national, regional and international bodies to urgently act on Climate Change. We also call upon the government to implement the National Climate Change Action Plan.

1. 8.      Deal With Corruption

This General Assembly is convinced that at the heart of all the problems and challenges facing Kenyans over the decades but especially in recent years is the cancer of corruption. We recognize that efforts have been made to fight the vice which included the courageous act of suspending cabinet ministers to pave way for investigations and prosecution. To effectively excise this cancer, we urge His Excellency the President to declare corruption a national disaster since by his own admission it has permeated all sectors of our society and is therefore more like an epidemic that must be treated or else the nation collapses. That declaration will facilitate the allocation of resources and personnel and the adoption of extra ordinary executive measures to effectively address the scourge alongside strengthening of relevant institutions and systems.

We also wish to remind all persons involved in the enforcement of the law, and especially the Judiciary and the National Police, of the warning in Isaiah 5: 23 – 24 “(Woe to those) who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent. Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel”. Let us all be committed to visible punishment of all persons who are involved in corruption and not feed a national curse.

1. 9.      Leadership Crisis at African Israel Nineveh Church

This General Assembly has noted with sadness the crisis at the African Israel Nineveh Church, and especially the violence on Sunday 9^th August 2015 where four people are reported to have died. We share our heartfelt condolences with the families that were bereaved. Since the AINC is a member church of NCCK, this Assembly has directed the Membership Committee, which is mandated to deal with matters touching on discipline among the member churches, to comprehensively and redemptively address the matter as provided for in our constitution.

In the same vein, we encourage all church leaders and committees to ensure that they operate within their constitutions and to adopt good corporate governance that includes effective and clear transition mechanisms as well as management integrity.

10. Conclusion

We thank God for having gathered here for the first General Assembly in our second centenary, having celebrated 100 years in 2013. We note that there is hope for our nation, but all Kenyans must arise and use every legal means to resist the attacks on the family and to fight corruption. May God bring upon all Kenyans the blessings of Deuteronomy 28: 3 – 7

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

Signed on this 13^th day of August 2015 at Jumuia Conference and Beach Resort, Kanamai.