By Peter Ochieng
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Nyanza region has a new chairman.
Rt. Rev. John Mark Haung Godia, Bishop, Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Maseno West dioceses is the new chairman, having been elected by members of the regional conference.
Mark Haung Godia succeeds David Godia who has retired. He was elected alongside Bishop Titus Okoda as the vice chair, Pastor Kenneth Ouma who will serve as the treasurer, Linnet Angwenyi who is the women representative, Stephen Mkapa as the youth representative and Paul Ongwae as the representative of People with Disabilities (PWDs).
They will be in office until 2027.
Addressing the press during NCCK Nyanza regions 14th regional conference at a Kisumu hotel on Tuesday, the new chairman urged the Kenya Kwanza administration to step up the fight against corruption.
“The greatest tragedy of our nation is that justice, professionalism, equity and equality before the law have been sacrificed at the alter of corruption. Political power is continuously being used for selfish enrichment at the expense of the citizens whoa re trapped in a downward spiral of impoverishment,” he stated.
He said it was regrettable that government officials at both the county and national levels “have adopted the horrendous trend of competing with each other as to who is more corrupt than the other.”
According to Godia, time is ripe for government officials to turn their mindset from the hunter-gatherer mentality, that ‘pushes them to grab everything in sight.”
The leaders challenged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to change strategy, and instead focus on instilling ethics and integrity in the citizens.
This, they said can be done through permeating values in the education curriculum at all levels.
Additionally, Kodia and his team want Kenyans to rise up and demand for implementation of Chapter Six of the constitution of Kenya.
Chapter Six of the 2010 Constitution speaks on leadership and integrity.