verbatim report of - ConstitutionNet

effect us, thank you.
Com. Nunow: Okey, thank you. Let us have your memorandum and you sign the register as well. Enos Kweno?
Pastor Enos Kweno: My names are Pastor Enos Kweno. My presentation will be very brief. I was looking or made an
observation that when we marry we as Christian Churches, we marry our people. When they want to separate we are not
involved in separation. But the Muslims when they marry their people, when it comes to separation they are involved. So I was
praying the new Constitution, if at all this could be looked into, we may also be considered as our fellow colleagues, the Kadhis.
We appear in court or wherever the divorce is taking place and at least give our contributions.
Two, the Christian churches do not allow registration of more than one wife. Therefore, whenever we restrict our Members to
one wife, they sneak out, go to the DC’s office and they are married there to their second wives and third wives of which we as
christians we do not encourage. We feel the law should at least come to our aid so that though we have the freedom of worship
we should protect the church.
The other area I made an observation was on the elections of mayors and chairmen. I think it should be carried out by voters
and not by councillors. And as somebody mentioned or the minister said, the chairman and mayors should be graduates. It is
my prayer that the new Constitution should also include that all those who aspire to be mayors and chairman of councils and
cities in Kenya be graduates, and the councillors' minimum qualification should be school certificates.
I also made an observation that the Minister of education should be a personel who is highly qualified academically. So that he
becomes the chancellor of all universities, private and public universities.
Another observation I made is the opening of new administration boundaries. Let’s say if we want to form a new district, this
should be brought to Parliament and approved by Parliament. The holder of the office of the Attorney General should also be
somebody competitive appointed by Parliament if possible. Just as we had one in 1978 when we had a transition. If we didn’t
have a highly qualified person, I think the transition would not have been so peaceful the way it was. He intervened during the
change of Constitution and it has come. So when appointing the Attorney General, I feel he must be somebody of high calibre,
high academic status and mature. Thank you.
Com. Kangu: I would like you to clarify a bit on what kind of protection you want the law to give to churches particularly
concerning the issue of marriages and…
Pastor Enos Kweno: When they go to the DC’s office for marriage, I think the DC’s should be people… If the law protected
the church, the DC would know if the person marrying has ever been married through the church, official marriage or any other
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