Kenya: Catholic bishops address crime in their Lenten message

Catholic bishops in Kenya have expressed their concern over the current wave of insecurity in the country. In their this year's Lenten message released last week through the bishops' commission of justice and peace, under the title: Kenya's Good Governance: My Responsibility, the bishops observed that insecurity was now a matter of national concern and that all Kenyans must do whatever it takes to fight the vice. The Bishops called those involved in crime to repent and stop their painful causing activities. Speaking during the launching of the message, the chairman of the Catholic bishops' justice and peace commission, Bishop Peter Kairu said the government must guarantee the security of every Kenyan, stressing that this was a right. The Lenten message, to Kenyan Catholics has been divided into five parts, with a topic dedicated to each week. The selected topics for the five weeks period include: leadership, integrity and development, economics, social and political corruption, insecurity, environment and affirmative action for women. On corruption, for example, the bishops have observed that corrupt practices continue to undermine good governance and distort public policy, leading to misallocation of resources. It's hard to define corruption, but we can see its effects in our society: poverty, tribalism, h bad governance, economic crimes, poor wages, poor infrastructure, diseases, ignorance, among other avenues, the bishops have pointed out. And all these activities go against the Christian Doctrine, stressed the Catholic bishops, pointing out that there should never be corruption in the society. The bishops concern over insecurity, for example, comes in the wake of heavy criminal activities, which have left both civilians, diplomats, foreigners and security officers falling victims of carjacks, robbery and house break-insThe local media has in recent times been awash with insecurity activities that have left its victims, either dead or badly injured. And such insecurity activities have come in form of carjacks at gunpoint, bank and house robberies and house-break-ins.