Churches dismiss pollster over 'popularity contest'

By WALTER MENYA
Posted Thursday, August 12 2010 at 14:39

Local pollster Synovate Kenya has come under criticism following the opinion poll results it released showing trust on Church leaders had dropped.

Christian groups that spoke to the media Thursday reinforced the message of the Kenya Episcopal Conference secretary Fr Vincent Wambugu and National Council of churches of Kenya secretary-general Canon Peter Karanja who said the polls were not necessary.

At a news conference held at the Ufungamano centre the Christian Professional Caucus called on the pollster to tell Kenyans their motive in conducting the poll.

“The church leaders should never be placed in a popularity contest with anyone. They have never participated in a popularity contest since Biblical times and they are not going to change that today because of a referendum,” said advocate Ms Anne Mbugua.

Christian Professional Caucus acted as advisers to church leaders who campaigned against the new constitution. They too want the rival 'Yes' and 'No' teams to be included in the implementation of the new constitution without discrimination.

They said the Church was not looking for any advantage in the new constitution but took the stand for the good of the country and to fulfil its prophetic role.

“The role of our church leaders is to obey God and not please a mortal. We would actually be disturbed if they forsook their spiritual duty and went after populism,” added Ms Mbugua.

According to a Synovate poll whose results were released on Wednesday, church leaders have lost trust of Kenyans with only 19 per cent of the respondents returning an affirmative vote on the clergy compared to 17 per cent for politicians. Additionally, 38 per cent of those interviewed said they do not trust church leads at all, a bigger number than the 22 per cent who said they do not trust politicians at all.

Already, the Catholic Church through Fr Wambugu and the Protestants speaking Canon Karanja has dismissed the argument that their credibility had suffered owing to the stand they took on the new constitution.

Responding to queries about their credibility, Canon Karanja said, “On whether the church has lost credibility, we state that those claims are not true. The church is walking tall with no reason to be embarrassed because of its work.”

The Caucus also added its voice on that the entire poll process was misplaced and lacked focus and depth.

“Kenyans may not trust church leaders on the political ground but they do so in spiritual matters,” explained Peter Waiyaki, a member of the Caucus.

“It is very wrong for Synovate or anybody else for that matter to question trust on Church leaders,” added Mr Waiyaki.

The chief legal advisor to the Churches’ 'No' team during the campaigns David Waihiga dismissed the notion that the church had failed. He said the state did not give a level playing field for the two sides.

The Christians professionals said the polls had raised serious questions about the integrity of Synovate as a research firm.
“We do not understand the people they (Synovate) talked to because Kenyans are still going to church as before. They filled the sanctuaries last Sunday and we do not see that changing,” said Waihiga.

However, the professionals concurred with Canon Karanja that the church needed to take time to reflect before deciding on the way forward. This time will help to heal wounds of a rift that emerged among the clergy over the stand on the new constitution, they said.