Clergy association to campaign for NO in referendum
The Church and Clergy Association of Kenya (CCAK) has vowed to mobilise members to reject the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020 at the referendum.
CCAK, an umbrella body for churches and religious leaders said the Bill has not incorporated the wishes of ordinary Kenyans.
National chairman Hudson Ndeda, however, said they believe there is still room and time for a consensus.
“We know that this Bill may be forced down our throats but we want to tell the proponents of the amendments that we will be waiting for them at the ballot come 2022,” he stated.
Secretary general Geoffrey Gichuku said CCAK will ask Kenyans to vote in leaders who listen to the people. “We are just wondering what these people who don't want to listen to us now will tell us come 2022,” added Gichuku.
Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi, Ndeda said allegations that the church did not give its views to the Building Bridges Initiative team are misleading.
“We made our submissions on March 5, 2020 at Laico Regency but our very key proposals were not captured in the final draft of the BBI,” he said.
He pointed out that they were against the creation of the position of Prime Minister and two deputies and the addition of extra constituencies.
“If they cannot pay our health workers who are fighting the pandemic, where will the money to cater for all these new positions come from,” he explained.
He said it was regrettable that some leaders are gearing for a referendum yet views of a good number of Kenyans have not been captured.
“We urge those whose views were captured and are contented to listen to Kenyans left behind by the train. There are many passengers at the departure. Kenya must arrive as one,” he added.
He further added that BBI should not be a document for the political class or an instrument to influence the 2022 lineup.
“We must ask ourselves, suppose the referendum outcome is a No, will the country have another plebiscite before 2022 so that no violence occurs?” he posed.
Ndeda asked the government to address the country’s more pressing needs like the looming strike by doctors and the Covid-19 pandemic.

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