IEBC chair Erastus Ethekon/FILE




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As the country begins to edge toward the 2027 General Election, IEBC Chair Erastus Ethekon has urged political, religious and community leaders to moderate the political temperature, warning that heightened rhetoric could trigger instability.

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Speaking during an engagement with religious leaders, Ethekon said churches have a critical role to play in shaping ethical conduct among politicians, noting that faith institutions remain trusted spaces for guiding values-based leadership.

“We are calling upon you to provide more clarity during this election cycle and to engage politicians in your churches,” he said.

“We encourage you to teach them about value-based ethics. It is unfortunate that someone can be in church for one hour and then go out to say or do things that are completely different from what they have learnt.”

He cautioned that rising political tensions, if left unchecked, could lead to irrational actions with far-reaching consequences.

“Let us intensify calls for peace and moderate the temperature in the country,” Ethekon said. “When the temperature rises, irrational things will happen, and we will be taken off the rails. People know what I am talking about.”

Drawing from his experience during the 2007–2008 post-election violence, Ethekon said religious leaders played a decisive role in calming communities at a time when security agencies were overstretched.

“In 2007, I witnessed the chaos and was called upon to help with emergency intervention,” he said. “When many people ran away, we approached bishops, including engagements at the UN. Right here in Kibera, we worked with a bishop to pacify Kibra when security could not contain the situation.”

He said the episode demonstrated that religious leaders possess moral authority and community trust that can help prevent violence during periods of political tension.

“The role of religious leaders cannot be downplayed,” Ethekon added, urging them to consistently champion peace, dialogue and ethical conduct as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.