How effective is the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK)?

It is believed that a majority of Kenyans are Christians. The International Religious Freedom Report of 2007 by The U.S. Department of State – Diplomacy in Action... indicates that approximately 80 percent of the Kenya’s population practices Christianity. www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90103.htm

Although the above percentage is staggering, other sources give varied figures on the same subject albeit, with just but a slight variation in the overall percentage. Thus, according to all the available data – all affirm that a majority of Kenyans profess to be Christians.

On the face of it, Christianity is doing pretty well in Kenya. Even so, let us ask ourselves a few simple questions; what if that translates into influence? What impact would Christians have in Kenya today, particularly if their leaders across the country speak in unison on matters of national importance and at the same time enlighten their followers on the same issues? Just think about it!

Kenya is a multiethnic country but that notwithstanding, Christianity has taken roots virtually in every ethnic community. Although there are diverse Christian denominations in the country – the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) brings most of them together under its umbrella.
That means, the NCCK has a huge responsibility which if executed effectively, its influence on the national front cannot be ignored - the government and the politicians have to listen to them.

One of the NCCK’s missions is to enhance the creation of a just and sustainable society. In that case, the council has a duty to address among others, political and governance issues in the country.  
The political environment as well as how any country is governed has a huge demeanour on its citizenry. Any country that has bad political environment coupled with bad governance cannot enhance the creation of a just and sustainable society. 

Accordingly, the NCCK cannot ignore the constant changing political environment in the country as well as the governance issues – they must at all times seek to be on top of things. Nevertheless, their effectiveness in fulfilling their mission, largely depends on their cohesiveness and commitment to their mission statement. Any form of smugness on the side of the NCCK can only work to its disadvantage, in particular on the national front.

The above leads us to other questions; so far, has the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) been effective and influential on the national front? If not, has Christians and especially their leaders failed in one way or the other when it comes to issues of national importance? This question are intriguing, but without a doubt, they can be answered.

However, no matter how you want to look at it, it must be agreed that given the fact that a majority of Kenyans profess to be Christians; their influence on the national front doesn’t equal that reality – if anything their influence should be far more assertive than it is at current.

As a result, that can only mean one thing; the NCCK has to reinvigorate itself, sell its mission statement to all the church leaders across the country with an aim of seeking to work together especially on matters of national importance. Should the Council be more proactive, certainly, its influence in the country can be far more reaching than it is today!

More over, the council has to bear in mind that unless the church in Kenya speaks in unison on the national front, it doesn’t matter the high percentage of Christians in the country; the politicians and the government will always seek to dictate the pace of things and how the country is governed.

However, if the church leaders and Christians in general wake up to the fact that they can influence the destiny of the country and begin to act, then their voice cannot be ignored at any cost.

The biggest challenge that NCCK must contend with is the fact that although a majority of Kenyans profess Christianity, a majority are at the same time easily swayed into taking ethnic stand when it comes to political loyalty. Unfortunately, some church leaders have fallen victims of the same sway.

Consequently, NCCK and all church leaders in the country have an enormous task to enlighten their followers on the true values of Christianity. On the other hand all must and should at all times embrace the fact that Kenya is a multiethnic and multi-religious society whereby all have a right to live and share in the diversity that there is.Thus, tolerance must be exercised and any form of religious fundamentalism be avoided at all cost.

Even so, Christians can influence the way the country is governed for the benefit of all. The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) must seek ways through which it can be more assertive on the national front than it has been over the past few decades since its establishment.

Christian leaders cannot sit back and let politicians, most of whom are cold-hearted and self-centred continue calling the shots and shaping how we think on the matters of national importance.