THE FUTURE OF AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST, AND THE ROLE OF CHURCHES – ACT ALLIANCE CONSULTATION FOR AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

A.  PRELIMINARIES

Hon Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, Cabinet Secretary for Education,

Mr John Nduna, General Secretary for the ACT Alliance,

Heads of member organizations of the Act Alliance,

All protocols observed

Ladies and Gentlemen.

B. INTRODUCTION:

I am greatly honoured to join you today on this auspicious occasion. This is a historic moment given the agenda before hand that is the consultation on Africa and the Middle East and the Role of Churches going forward. I reckon that the global family of churches has not given much thought to the future of this region and the fundamental role  of the church in this region. To this end, this initiative by the ACT Alliance is therefore laudable This forum will not only  strengthen the ACT members in Africa and Middle East; but also reflects our collective commitment to the advancement of humanity, and obedience to the commandment given in the Bible in Galatians 6: 2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”.

C.  AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TODAY

Prof Kaimenyi, Mr Nduna, Brothers and Sisters

The focus of our gathering here today is underpinned in the theme  “The Future of Africa and Middle East, and the Role of Churches”. To effectively envision this theme, I wish to take a few moments to reflect on the past and the present.

Brothers and Sisters,

Historians tell us that Africa is the cradle of mankind .It is said that the earliest human civilization was found in the Middle East region. As a region, Africa has played a key role in shaping the history and development of humanity. You will also recall that the major religions in the world, Christianity, Islam and Judaism all originated in the Middle East region. It is no surprise then that most of the major world scale wars in history have been fought by nations seeking to control the Middle East Region and those seeking to exploit Africa’s vast resources.

It is therefore unfortunate that the Middle East region has remained in a state of perpetual warfare which is dominated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most of the wars in the Middle East are caused by external forces whose main interest is the control of the oil resources with which God blessed that region. It is regrettable that children born in the Middle East are brought up with a conflict mentality, which forestalls development even at the individual level. Poverty reigns supreme among the people, who grow up believing violence is the only solution.

As the Action by Churches together, we should take note of and be concerned about the religious intolerance that is akin to persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

The situation in the Middle East is not quite different from what is being witnessed in some parts of Africa. From Egypt, the Central African Republic  and the Horn of Africa, the situation remains grim. Closer home, this is replicated in Africa’s youngest state South Sudan whose recent political conflict have left hundreds of people dead and thousands displaced. These catastrophes can only get worse if we do not start a genuine conversation on how to resolve the socio-political and economic challenges.

Despite these challenges, the people of Africa and the Middle East have worked hard to improve their welfare. They firmly hold the belief that the future is what we make it to be through our actions today. Their resilience and optimism for a better tomorrow is a feeling that is embraced by many who believe that we must free ourselves from the shackles of poverty, bad leadership and the dependency syndrome and chart a path that will set especially Africa on a promising trajectory. This consultation is therefore important because the churches and church related agencies are collectively concerned about the welfare of the people and how to move the continent forward. I believe this can be done and indeed is achievable.

The Kenyan Churchesand affiliate organizations met three years ago to reflect on the future of the country. During that forum, we developed what came to be known as Vision 2060, a 50-year blueprint of the contributions that churches in Kenya would make in the country. In view of this I  =hope that this forum will  come up with concise, actionable resolutions on what we together as churches will do to contribute to a great future for Africa and the Middle East. However before then, allow me to suggest a few ways

C.   ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

Prof Kaimenyi, Mr Nduna, Brothers and Sisters,

Africa is a continent of great variety and diversity of situations of both Church and Society. We must be cautious about generalizations both in the diagnosis of problems and issues and in the suggestion of solutions.  The local particular Churches must take responsibility for their own concrete existence addressing situations that call for a prophetic response according to local circumstances. This is because the challenges for those living in North Africa are different from those who live in sub Saharan Africa.  The differences and challenges in sub Saharan Africa are also quite significant depending on whether one is speaking of East, West or Southern Africa.

Last year, the NCCK marked her Centenary during which we mobilized the Church in Kenya under the theme “Shining the Light of Christ”. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5: 14 – 16 – “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” I believe that this passage summarizes concisely the role that we as churches can play in the world. Our primary duty then is to bring the presence of God to the situations that God brings our way.

To put this message in a practical sense, I recommend the following:

Peace and Security

Last year, Africa celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the precursor of African Union. During these 50 years, the continent has progressed steadily. Up  to  the  early  1990s,  Africa  was  plagued  by  numerous  conflicts whose cost was enormous.  However, since the late 1990s, conflicts and violence have decreased substantially on the continent.

The church should put in place effective mechanisms and interventions to address conflicts, prevent crisis as well as the management and resolution of volatile situations on the continent. Africa must seek home -grown solutions to peace such as mediation through inter and intra ethnic dialogue to bring healing and reconciliation. Promoting peace and security in Africa will enable the continent to take full advantage of its immense potentials. 

Advocacy

 As the “family of God” the Church is challenged to witness and promote the universality of God’s love for all people and the future unity of humanity.  Unfortunately, ethnic, tribal and regional divisions still afflict many parts of the African continent, seriously hampering the development of its peoples. Advocacy is one of the most important strategies in promoting justice in the developing countries of Africa. Decisions made in the wealthy industrialized countries of the north have enormous and long lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of Africans. It is imperative that the voice of Africa be heard at those centres where vital policy decisions affecting the lives of Africans are made.

Africa has also faced the challenge of negative publicity thus creating a widely accepted account of a dark continent in a constant state of crisis. The ‘Aid Industry’, too, feeds on selling negative stereotypes of Africans as helpless victims of endless wars and constant famines.

But this presentation of Africa as a land of hopeless, hapless victims is a far cry from Africa. It is rather the Africa of enormous resources, creativity and resilience. It is an Africa that can teach us a lot about what it means to be human and remind us of values that are fast disappearing from the developed countries of the world. 

Natural Resources 

Africa  is  endowed  with  huge  natural  resources such  as  minerals  and  oil. These resources have however not been beneficial to Africans but others where most of it is exported. The Church should therefore initiate advocacy programmes at the regional and national levels as well as empowerment programmes at the local levels to focus on extractive industries.

Spiritual Development

Brothers and Sisters,

It is not in doubt that the Christian faith is facing unprecedented challenges in Africa and the Middle East. We should therefore take deliberate and appropriate measures to bolster the position of the faith in the lives of the people. We must work to ensure that more people put their faith and hope in Jesus Christ in confronting the challenges facing Africa and the Middle East.

Towards this end, I propose that we together as the ACT Alliance find ways of supporting churches to establish and maintain discipleship programmes.

Secondly, we will need to promote and protect the family unit as the core of society, and deliberately avoid being drawn into sexual deviances that threaten the family.

Provision of Education

Prof Kaimenyi, Mr Nduna, Brothers and Sisters

Culture, character and habits are products of the education that a person goes through especially in the early years of formation. As such, we must determine to make serious investments in the area of education so as to inculcate value-driven development oriented mentalities in oure children if we intend to transform Africa. We must inculcate ethical values of integrity, hard work, respect, family values and not allow destructive beliefs and habits to be exposed to our children. It is imperative that we accept to support churches establish their own schools and to train them how to manage them professionally.

Economic Empowerment

Brothers and sisters,

Poverty is the worst form of slavery. It dehumanizes people and takes away their sense of worth. In essence, poverty is at the core of the problems that the people in Africa and the Middle East are going through. Supporting communities and individuals to address poverty will therefore unlock the solutions to many other challenges that we as churches constantly contend with. It is appreciable that many Christians and churches are initiating projects aimed at improving their financial welfare.

I urge that we enhance the provision of financial literacy and increase support to churches as they establish micro finance institutions. We also need to empower churches to engage in productive agriculture and agribusinesses.

Engagement in Governance

The African continent has made   strides    towards democratization and good  governance. In spite of some challenges, free, fair and  transparent democratic  elections are increasingly becoming  the  norm  with several examples of peaceful handover of power being witnessed. 

To enhance democracy  on  the  continent, the  church in African  build the capacity of the citizens to demand democratic principles in the management of elections, the rule of law and respect for human rights; improve citizen participation and demand accountability from leaders. 

Throughout the Bible, there are examples of individuals who were wholly committed to God yet they contributed immensely to the governance processes of their nations. We therefore must not shy away from encouraging Christians to actively engage in the governance and socio-political processes in their countries and areas of residence. Wherever we have opportunities, we should lobby and campaign for the appointment of qualified, competent and results oriented Christians to positions of power and authority so that they bring the presence of God to those offices. That way, the light of Christ will shine across the countries in Africa and Middle East.

D.        CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I once again appreciate the opportunity to address this gathering . I assure you that  Africa and the Middle East can  have a great future, if only we are willing to envision it, embrace it, and work for it. I therefore pray that this meeting will go well and achieve its objectives

 Brothers and Sisters,I now invite Hon Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, the Cabinet Secretary for Education in Kenya, to come and present the keynote address.

Welcome  Prof. Kaimenyi.