Freedom in Speech

Written by David Kuria Monday, 13 June 2011 05:25

One would be forgiven for thinking that the Church leadership have suddenly migrated from Kenya. Not a single one of them has issued a statement on the numerous corruption allegations against the Director of Public Prosecutions nominee Keriako Tobiko.

To be sure the DPP is as important a position as that of the Chief Justice. But the difference between Mr Tobiko and Dr Willy is most remarkable. While Dr Willy Mutunga is regarded by many as the father of civil society in Kenya, he is a founder member of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, National Convention Executive Council among other institutions central to the second liberation against the Moi Autocracy.

Mr Tobiko on the other hand has been accused by many including Prof Yash Pal Ghai, of being a Moi operative. Some have even gone as far as to use words like spy. Like many of his contemporaries, allegations of corruption against him are galore.

What is most shocking is the extreme silence from the Church. This is the same Church that over the last three weeks reminded all who cared to listen that Dr Mutunga should not be appointed Chief Justice because he wears a stud on his ear, and that Ms Nancy Baraza would not be the right candidate because the subject of her doctoral research is on gay rights.

Is it in any wonder that the church continues to lose credibility among the Kenyan public? They have been accused of hypocrisy but why don’t they at least ask for investigation on the corruption allegations even if only to disguise their hypocrisy? From their universal silence one can only surmise that corruption is not a moral issue. Or it could be that homophobia is by far a much greater virture...