NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Churches Council of Kenya (NCCK) has called on President William Ruto to urgently reconstitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
This appeal is driven by the desire to recall lawmakers who supported the contentious Finance Bill 2024.
NCCK Secretary General Chris Kinyanjui praised the youth for their steadfastness in advocating for peace amid the political turbulence.
“We need to ask for IEBC to be reconstituted like yesterday. That is the only way that we can be able to recall some of the MPs who supported the finance bill yet the others told them not to do that,” Kinyanjui asserted. “There is no way an MP who is elected by voters can go and present his personal interest against the will of the people.”
Kinyanjui also highlighted the growing concern about political interference within religious institutions. Politicians have been using church platforms to distribute money and deliver speeches, a practice the NCCK is determined to curb.
“As NCCK we have come up with guidelines for ministering to politicians when they come to church. For example, we don’t want them to be allowed to speak inside the church and we don’t want them to come and dish out money,” Kinyanjui stated.
The clamor for recalling MPs intensified after 204 lawmakers voted in favor of the Finance Bill, which has faced widespread opposition from the public.
The process of recalling an MP is governed by the Constitution and the Elections Act, which outline four grounds for recall: gross violation of the Constitution or any other law, committing an offense under the Elections Act, misconduct likely to bring shame to the office, and mismanagement of public funds.
Currently, the IEBC is without commissioners, a void that has stalled crucial operations, including the organization of by-elections.
