By Faith Anene, Kakamega
Church leaders from Mount Zion Seventh-Day Church of God have called on the government and political leaders to halt early election campaigns.
The leaders emphasized that such premature political activities disrupt peace, slow down development, and foster unnecessary divisions among the people.
Led by their Chairperson, Bishop Wesley Ng’etich, the church leaders voiced their concerns about the rising political temperatures, stating early campaigns have intensified creating tension in many parts of the country.
“Early campaigns are a direct cause of the instability we are seeing,” said Bishop Ng’etich. “They destroy the spirit of unity, disturb our peace, and hinder our development efforts. The time for campaigns will come, but for now, we need to focus on advancing the development agenda of the country.”
The leaders also reminded the faithfuls of the importance of respecting elected leaders. “Our leaders were chosen to serve us, and as a church, we must urge them to be responsible stewards of our resources, particularly in protecting the youth,” added Pastor Joseph Muraya. “We must work together, across the political divide, to ensure that our future generations are given the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in life.”
Further, the church leaders echoed the biblical principle of giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, emphasizing the need for all citizens to pay taxes honestly and for the government to ensure these resources are used responsibly. “Corruption has been a major challenge in our country, and it is time we demand better governance,” the pastors urged. “Our taxes should be utilized to advance the growth of the nation and not being squandered.”
The call for peaceful political engagement was especially loud from the Western Kenya region, where tensions have often been high. The leaders urged regional political figures to focus on their roles without engaging in unnecessary power struggles that slow down the development agenda.
“Our focus should be on the well-being of our people, not on power struggles,” emphasized Bishop Daniel Nabwayo of the Western region.
In light of the cessation of USAID funding for several African countries, Bishop Nabwayo also stressed the importance of fostering positive relationships with other nations to create new opportunities for development as well as exploring domestic funding opportunities to the programmes affected by Trump stop work order.
“We urge the government to work towards making SHA registration accessible and ensure that it is useful to Kenyan citizens, as we have heard complaints from our members regarding the Taifa Care system not functioning effectively,” he added.
