Church joins Raila in support of the referendum

Canon Peter Karanja

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has now joined the likes of Orange Democratic Republic in support to push for referrendum  aimed at overhauling the structure of government.

The council mentioned of their support following a tour in Turkana County during the unveiling of the NCCK branch.

According to the chairman, General Secretary Canon Peter Karanja  for a long time NCCK has been in support of the referendum.

In a press statement after the ceremony at the Bethany Hall Catholic Diocese of Lodwar, Canon Karanja said among the recommendations they have so far made is the expansion of the Executive and reducing the number of elected and nominated leaders.

He says NCCK is of the view that the Executive should accommodate the position of the Prime minister and two deputies then reduce the number of the Cabinet Secretaries for the purposes of inclusivity.

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Canon Karanja further added that Kenyans are over represented by many leaders.

He said there is need to reduce the numbers to see a resultant reduction in the wage bill that is already hurting most Kenyans.

According the Canon Karanja the debate on referendum is healthy and it calls for public participation.

The councils statement came after ODM leader Raila Odinga on Thursday maintained that Kenya will go to a referendum if it has to realise the goals of the Building Bridges initiative.

He said the calls for a referendum, to change the structure of government, are tied with peace initiative which followed the March 9 handshake.

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Raila entered into a post-2017 poll truce with President Uhuru Kenyatta in a 9-point agenda towards building lasting unity and peace in the country.

The peace process followed the disputed August and October 2017 presidential election. Raila and his allies boycotted the second round of the polls.

He told Migori residents during a rally in support of ODM Senator candidate Ochillo Ayacko that changes expected after the plebiscite is for Kenya’s good.

“The referendum calls are to make the 2010 Constitution better and stronger, and most importantly to safeguard the supreme law,” Raila said.

Migori is set to elect a new senator on Monday, a poll which was occasioned by the death of Senator Ben Oluoch Okello.

Raila said the Building Bridges team will collect views from all Kenyans on how best the Constitution should be changed.

The former prime minister said the calls for Constitution change is among major issues that the handshake will seek to rectify.

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