They identify the “fight for justice for the poor” as essential for “moral beings” and add, “Mother Church says there is only one choice to make over the poor; the preferential option for the poor.”
“The preferential option for the poor means that we cannot see injustice towards the poor, leave them in their unbearable condition and find reasons to justice our inaction,” Catholic Bishops in Kenya say to illustrate the need for Catholics to practice integrity, which they say has several dimensions “key in our everyday lives”.
They highlight seven dimensions of integrity, including “honesty and truthfulness; transparency; adherence to moral principles; accountability; humility; courage; ethical decision-making and commitment to doing what is right.”
In the message that the Chairman of the KCCB Commission for Promoting Human Integral Development (CPHID), Bishop John Oballa Owaa of Kenya’s Ngong Diocese signed, areas of reflection for each of the five weeks of Lent are highlighted.
In week one, Catholics in Kenya are to reflect on the “Sovereignty of the People” as explained in Chapter one of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, namely, that the people of God in Kenya “are the source of all political power”. KCCB members term as “disheartening” the making of unilateral decisions by the political class through “inadequate public participation only conducted to fulfil constitutional requirements but not to take into consideration the contribution from the people.”
Kenya’s 2010 constitution “demands meaningful involvement of the people when making key policy decisions through public participation,” KCCB members emphasize in the eight-page message that the Catholic Justice and Peace Department (CJPD) issued on February 9.
In week two, Catholics in Kenya have been invited to reflect on the “Right to Clean, Safe and Adequate Water”, with a particular focus on “environmental justice”, understood as “not just a policy preference or a political slogan” but as “a fundamental human right, deeply intertwined with our survival, dignity, and well-being.”
“It is our duty as stewards of mother earth and custodians of future generations to ensure that the right to water is not the privilege of a few people, but a fundamental right for all of God’s creation,” KCCB members say, and add, “We must guard our water towers against depletion and take deliberate action towards environmental restoration.”
The high cost of living and high taxation, which Catholic Bishops in Kenya say have “adversely affected many Kenyans, particularly the poor and vulnerable members of the society,” will be the focus of the Lenten Campaign during the third week of Lent.
“Our journey towards social justice must begin with a balanced approach to taxation and a concerted effort to alleviate the high cost of living ensuring that the backbone of our nation, the Kenya Citizens, are not only surviving or hustling but enjoying a dignified life,” KCCB members say in the message that was read out during the launch of the 2024 Lenten Campaign Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral grounds of Embu Diocese.
