NAIROBI – The clergy of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) in the central region have issued a call to local elected leaders to prioritize service delivery over political competition. At a press conference held on Friday, the group highlighted the negative impact that ongoing political competition among leaders has on the welfare of the community.
According to Kenya News Agency, chairman of the NCCK central region, the current focus on divisive political wrangles is detrimental to service delivery in the counties. “We call on the leaders in our region to minimize political competition and maneuvers and instead focus on service delivery,” Gichere stated. He pointed out that, despite recent rains improving harvests, many residents are still facing significant challenges, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare for their children.
The clergy underscored the importance of government strategies to reduce the cost of living, emphasizing the need for access to subsidized fertilizers and lower costs for inputs. Bishop Gichere also noted the adverse effects of delayed disbursements of funds to devolved units and the ongoing disputes over revenue division between national and county governments on service delivery.
The church leaders advocated for extensive public participation in the formulation of major policies, with Bishop Njeru Nyaga of the National Independent Church of Africa in Embu emphasizing the value of people-centered policies. “The government promised, it should listen more and speak less,” Nyaga remarked, highlighting the public’s concerns over being burdened by government policies.
Susan Wangari, a woman representative on the NCCK regional committee, called for accelerated health sector reforms, noting that some hospitals have ceased treating patients covered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) due to the proposed changes. “The reforms being implemented in the health sector should be hastened to save the sick from being imposed with hefty bills and forced to pay from their pockets,” she said.
The NCCK central region clergy have committed to continuing their role in highlighting areas for improvement and offering counsel to leaders to ensure that the needs of citizens are met and prioritized.