The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) has called upon serving government officials to distance themselves from political activities ahead of the August General Election.

EAK, in a press statement released on Wednesday following a Special General Meeting at the Nairobi Baptist Church, said this is in adherence to Article 75 of the Constitution on the conduct of State Officers that says:

“A State officer shall behave, whether in public and official life, in private life, or in association with other persons, in a manner that avoids–

(a) any conflict between personal interests and public or official duties;

(b) compromising any public or official interest in favour of a personal interest; or

(c) demeaning the office the officer holds.”

The alliance, led by Chairman Bishop David Oginde and Secretary General Nelson Makanda, also called on politicians to respect institutions such as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as well as the Judiciary in the lead-up to the August 9 showdown.

“The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya in this Special General Meeting recalled that one of the factors that contributed to the PEV of 2007-2008 was the blatant disparaging of the electoral and judicial institutions by political actors. As the campaigns kick off, we urge that this will be avoided at all cost,” said EAK.

The alliance, likewise, urged all relevant government institutions to uphold their role in delivering a credible election and handling disputes in an honorable manner.

To achieve this, EAK urged IEBC, Judiciary, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), National Police Service (NPS), as well as the Judiciary to be impartial and avoid taking sides in the contest.

The alliance further called out security agencies for what it termed as lawlessness in some parts of the country, such as the Kerio Valley region.

“It does appear to us that government has either taken leave from the Kerio Valley or has chosen to be complacent and indifferent to the suffering of the people of Kerio,” noted EAK.

By Fred Azelwa.