It is time Kenyans stopped taking oath of office using the Bible

I wish to comment on what one writer in the Start newspaper of 28th June, David Sonye, said regarding the issue of swearing using the Bible. My position is that time has come for public office holders in Kenya to stop using the Bible while taking oath of office. I remember the committee of experts led by Nzamba Kitonga that went around the country collecting the views of Kenyans on the kind of constitution they wanted saying that many people were of the opinion that Kenya being a religious society, the constitution needs to reflect the same. This is one of the reasons why the constitution compels those who are taking public office to swear by either the Bible or the Quran. But it seems that many of these people do not seem to realize the implications of taking an oath using the Bible. By using the Bible to take oath of office, one is declaring that they are ready to follow what the Bible (or Quran for that matter), stands for, and they are calling upon God to be a witness in the solemn occasion. For those who are well-versed with the Bible, we know that the Israelites took an oath before God to show that they were ready to follow the dictates of God, and they also knew that their actions had far reaching consequences. If they obeyed the laws of God, they will be secure and they will prosper. If they disobeyed the laws of God, calamity will befall them and their enemies would overrun them. In Kenya today, lifting the Bible while taking oath of office has become a mere formality that is expected of office holders. But the fact of the matter is that these people do not realize the implication of their actions. This is clearly seen in the fact that the very people who are supposed to uphold integrity and dignity in their offices are the very people who are first to break the law and engage in corruption. A good example is the recent swearing in of the Chief Justice, Willy Mutunga. He took oath of office using the Bible. Now, which God was he making a covenant with knowing that he had just a few days earlier said that the stud he wears represents all religions? Why did he not swear using all the religious books that are available in the country if truly he represents all religions? Even if many Kenyans in their presentations to the committee of experts confessed to being religious, this religiosity is not reflected in the general state of affairs of the life style of people in the country. Why is it that corruption and tribalism are still a major problem in this country? How come that a Kenyan girl can go out with friends for a night party, storm out of the party and the friends do not even bother to follow and know what has happened to their friend, only to be told 10 hours later that their friend is dead, and that is when the shock hits them? Why is it that people still consider themselves as belonging to their tribes first and being Kenyan second or even third? If Kenyans were as religious and God-fearing as they told the committee of experts on the constitution, then the problems bedeviling this country would be a thing of the past. If Kenyans were truly God-fearing, this would reflect in the way they deal with one another, because the Bible they use to swear says this in one place, “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” If Kenyans knew what was required of them by God, they would deal justly with one another, irrespective of tribe, religion, race or gender. But the way things are now, the truth is that our faith is only superficial and does not affect the way we do things. We call on the name of God by our mouths but our hearts belong elsewhere with our tribes or race or kinsmen. And since we are not serious about our relationship with God, then we better stop using the Bible, which is God’s word to man, to take our oaths when assuming public office. Otherwise, if we persist in using the Bible in our swearing-in ceremonies, we would only be calling upon the judgement of God on ourselves and our nation.