Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has warned that President Uhuru Kenyatta 's jubilee has lost its legitimacy and trust because of the inability to reign in insecurity.
Newly-elected KCCB chairman Bishop Philip Anyolo expressed dissatisfaction with the government's handling of security saying that despite many promises, threats and ultimatums from government little has been done to tame lawlessness and wanton killings.
"We begun our meeting as sad news of horrific slaughter of more that 50 Kenyans in North Rift and other parts of the country reached us.
This is not the first time that lives have been lost in this area," Anyolo said explaining that in November 2013 over 42 security officers were killed in the same region and the latest killings comes barely a month after 148 Kenyans were massacred by terrorists at the Garisa University college bring the number of those who have been killed in less than a month 200.
They said Kenyans are worried and desperate, whereas government is seemingly hopeless and incapable of offering permanent solution to perennial insecurity.
"We cannot sit back as Kenyans continue to lose their lives due to laxity.We will not relent in our call to government to fulfill its constitutional mandate it swore to protect all Kenyans," John Owaa KCCB vice chairperson said.
"Time has come to draw the line. A government that cannot protect its own people loses its legitimacy to govern," he added.
The leaders said the situation in the North Rift is worsening, adding that the conflicts are resource based and should not be looked at as cultural cattle rustling.
"We have constantly warned that the conflict in the region is worsening especially after the discovery of oil and other minerals as a result hundreds if not thousands lives have been lost in this perennial conflict that is erroneously been called 'cattle rustling' but which we as church leaders call brutal murder," a joint statement by the bishops read in part.
Dominic Kimengich, the bishop for Lodwar said the government needs to prioritize putting infrastructure and other facilities in the region as well create opportunities for economic growth as part of the solution to the conflicts.
"Other conflict resolution mechanism including disarmament, economic empowerment and local peace initiatives need strengthening," he said.
Bishop Cornelius Korir of Eldoret parish on his part called on the leaders from the region to commit to peace dialogues.
"The problem is some leaders who talk a lot make concrete solutions but end up reneging on them. Local leaders and other 'untouchables who continue arming and inciting communities against each other must be dealt with," he urged.
