By Wesley Omondi
NAIROBI, MAY 9, 2024 (CISA) – The Loyola Centre for Media and Communications (LCMC) in collaboration with the Inter-religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), and the Catholic Justice and Peace Department (KCCB-CJPD), have concluded a two-day conference aimed at exploring the role of faith in breaking the chains of corruption in Kenya.
Under the theme “Faith Practice in Breaking the Chains of Corruption,” the event brought together individuals from diverse religious backgrounds, as well as experts in law, communications and strategy, to delve into the pervasive issue of corruption that continues to plague the country.
Throughout the conference, attendees engaged in robust discussions on the various facets of corruption and the imperative for faith communities to actively combat it.
Bishop Simon-Peter Kamomoe, Chairperson of the Catholic Justice Department (KCCB-CJPD), emphasized the need for proactive engagement, stating “As faith communities, we should actively engage in campaigns against corruption, and faith institutions should lead by example.”
His sentiments were echoed by Bishop Dr John Warari, an Executive Member of IRCK, who underscored the necessity for passion and action in the fight against corruption.
“The fight against corruption must be passionate and driven. We need to be disruptive and foster a movement against corruption. We need to say NO to corruption,” he urged.
Alvito De Souza, a Senior Advisor in Communications and Strategy Design and former Secretary General of SIGNIS provided insight into the complex nature of corruption in Kenya.
He said, “We need to understand endemic corruption in this country and how it’s filtered down to the very basic of service, and political leaders who come over short periods who are so busy eating and making it hard to resist endemic corruption which is a bad cancer,” he explained, adding “To break this cycle, we require the moral force of religious leaders, coupled with a strong civil society movement that pushes government institutions to act against corruption and secure convictions.”
Dr Ekuru Aukot, an Expert in Constitution-making processes, in deconstructing the conference theme, emphasized the importance of identifying and dismantling the chains of corruption.
“We need to locate the chains of corruption in order to break them,” he asserted.
In his presentation he challenged attendees to declare their faith in religious leaders and institutions to effectively combat corruption, however, a majority expressed scepticism.
“We are not angry enough as a country to say that corruption is devastating, in fact if we are to give it a name it should be the most serious crime because it leads to mass killing,” he noted.
The conference served as a platform for critical dialogue and collaboration, highlighting the urgent need for multi-faceted approaches to tackle corruption in Kenya. As faith leaders, experts, and civil society stakeholders continue to deliberate on strategies, the call for concerted action against corruption grows louder, echoing the sentiments of those committed to fostering a corruption-free future for the nation.
