• The bishops’ remarks, delivered on November  14, 2024, have sent  shockwaves through the country as they touched on urgent matters that demand immediate attention from the government.

In a recent statement, Dr. Isaac Mwaura, the government spokesperson, has responded to the grave concerns raised by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) on critical national issues affecting the Kenyan people.

The bishops’ remarks, delivered on November 14, 2024, have sent shockwaves through the country as they touched on urgent matters that demand immediate attention from the government.

The bishops did not mince words as they condemned the escalating corruption, government’s commitments to clearing the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) debts, and the proposal to extend election terms to 7 years were highlighted as policies that could further burden the Kenyan people and erode public trust in democratic processes.

The government, through Dr. Isaac Mwaura, has assured the nation that it is actively addressing the concerns raised by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).

Corruption cases were prominently highlighted by Maurice Muhatia, the Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), drawing attention to the persistent scourge of graft in the country.

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In response, Dr. Isaac Mwaura, reported that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has made significant strides in recovering stolen public assets, wth a remarkable Ksh. 28 billion successfully reclaimed from corrupt dealings.

This recovery underscores the government's commitment to rooting out corruption and holding accountable those who have misappropriated public resources, while also sending a strong message that the fight against corruption remains a top priority.

“The government has proposed amendments to the Evidence Act and Criminal Procedure Code to expedite corruption investigations and prosecutions, with the goal of resolving graft cases within six months,” Dr. Isaac Mwaura assured.

He further emphasized that the administration is also pushing for reforms to the Public Finance Management Act and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act, specifically targeting procurement processes.

These have been identified as a major hotspot for corruption and abuse of office within the public sector. The measures are part of a broader effort to strengthen governance and accountability across all levels of government.

Addressing the outcry of the bishops towards the NHIF debts owed to faith based hospitals including Kshs. 19 billion owed to healthcare providers, Dr. Mwaura assured that the government is already onto clearing the bills to promote quality health care.

“The government has already disbursed Kshs. 5.05 billion, with faith-based hospitals receiving Kshs. 938 million, additional Kshs. 2.5 billion is scheduled for distribution in the next few days. Pending bills will be cleared to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services,” said Dr. Mwaura.

Clearing the air on the recent rumored extension of tenure for elected leaders from 5 to 7 years, the spokesperson assured the proposal has been dismissed urging stakeholders to clarify information before making generalizations about proposed government legislations.

“The government wishes to clarify that this bill was privately sponsored by Senator Samson Cherargei and was not a government bill.” He said, “The proposal has been dismissed by the Senate’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, and therefore, it will not and, cannot proceed.”

As the government remains focused on protecting and promoting the welfare of the nation, citizens and civil society groups are being called upon to offer criticism and hold the government accountable based on evidences.