from People For Peace

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News
BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA

Gichugu Member of Parliament Martha Karua on Thursday wondered why church leaders call on their followers to say ‘No’ to the draft constitution because of abortion and not to death penalty.

Karua who was answering the question from Obiero ko’Biero the plumber, one of the callers during the Ohigla programme ( Luo programme hosted by Ramogi FM) of which she was a guest speaker also expressed fear that by opposing Kadhi’s courts church leaders were advocating for religious intolerance and tribalism in Kenya.

Karua said it was not fair for Christian leaders to think very naive that it is only their faith which was very important. The argument is that-when you do not do it our way then you are wrong. For catholic believers this is based on dogmas of the faith-that is when the Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to propose truths contained in divine Revelation revealed by God.

The faithful are required to accept without challenge or question what the Church presents either as solemn decision or as general teaching, even though not all teachings are dogma. This is because Catholic position is that the content of a dogma has truly divine origin- It is an expression of an objective truth and does not change because the truth of God, revealed by God, does not change, as God himself does not change.

However, Christians who have decided to go against their church leaders’ decree and vote ‘Yes’ have done so because Kenyans have been seeking a new constitution not for the sake of having a new document but to end impunity where individuals appointed to high positions are untouchable, they are unreachable, and they can be recycled beyond generations and they will be protected by their ethnic groups and exclusive club members.