Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (SUPKEM) chairperson Al Hajj Hassan Ole Naado has now joined the church leadership in calling out the government on issues of public interest.
Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Thursday, Naado said Kenyans have lost hope in their leaders.
“If today we had a functional Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the number of MPs who would be in line to be recalled would be historically very high because they feel the political class no longer represents them,” he said.
Naado said Kenyans have only been unable to make such a decision due to the lack of an electoral body.
He added that in the recent past, Kenyans have been trying to exercise direct governance because of the feeling that the political class is no longer representing them.
The SUPKEM chairperson listed two issues that have complicated the country’s politics.
One includes party politics, whereby someone vies for their elective seat with the “right” party and clinches it regardless of his character as a leader.
He also noted the attractiveness of the political office and the cost of campaigns have made becoming a political leader in Kenya expensive.
He explained that this results in the politicians trying to recoup the monies spent during the campaign period.
“This makes them delink themselves from their electorates because they are looking for money so they can get what they spent, and some for the future,” he said.
“That is why you cannot predict Kenyan politicians that where they stand today, they will remain in that position tomorrow. Because depending on the situation and his own personal benefit, they will leave you,” he said.
Despite the challenges faced, Naado applauded the Constitution for giving Kenyans a leeway to deal with the aforementioned issues.
He also lauded Gen Zs for showing Kenyans that they can stand on their own, without political leadership, and demand that those in power address their concerns.
At the same time, the National Chairperson of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Rev Elias Otieno Agola said the Parliament has stopped fulfilling its constitutionally mandated rule.
“The Parliament has become, not the voice of the people, but the voice of the Executive. So, we are calling on the citizens to understand that these are the people they elected to represent them,” he said.
Agola said the reforms being introduced by the National Assembly should be people-friendly and fully understood by the affected persons.
He also spoke about donations to the church, saying politicians should not use their money to market or enhance their political ambitions.
“The NCCK standard is that, let them come, worship and if they want to donate money, let them donate like any other person, let them give offerings like any other person but raising that money to market yourself or show us that you are more of a good giver than others, we will not entertain that,” he said.
On Tuesday, the council criticised the public's tendency to believe misleading narratives from politicians, attributing Kenya's challenges to this blind trust.
"The situation in our country is the direct result of our tendency, as the people of Kenya, to listen to and believe the narratives peddled by persons seeking to rise to or to hold onto politics and leadership. These narratives are often premised on lies and falsehoods," NCCK said.
The NCCK urged Kenyans to seek truth and verify claims made by their leaders.
While criticising MPs, the churches’ council claimed the legislators have betrayed their constitutional mandate by passing what it termed as oppressive policies instead of providing oversight.
"Instead of speaking for the people, they are making oppressive laws. This state is unsustainable," NCCK said.
