Pope Francis calls for inclusivity in wealth distribution, appointments

Pope Francis has called for inclusivity in the distribution of wealth and state appointments.

Speaking during a mass at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Kangemi, the Pope castigated the government for unequal distribution of resources that has left many people languishing in poverty.

He emphasized on the need for the government to focus on providing land, lodging and labour for its citizens as part of their social responsibility.

“These wounds have been inflicted by minorities who cling to power and wealth while the majority of the citizens suffer,” he said.

He said it is paramount for leaders to uphold the rights of the poor and provide for their basic needs.

The Pope also pointed out at the lack of access to infrastructure and basis services like toilets, roads, electricity, schools and hospitals as an impeding factor to social justice adding that access to safe drinking water is essential to human survival.

“The society has social debt towards the poor for not providing drinking water. This situation is not just especially when certain individuals benefit from it.”

Pope Francis’ statement comes in the face of protests from different quarters following the recent appointment of individuals into the Cabinet.

Political pundits have been on the forefront in lashing out at the government for limiting the appointments to just two communities locking the rest out.

Gender and Equality Commission protested the appointments saying that it does not meet the Constitutional threshold on gender and regional balance.

The commission chair Winfred Lichuma appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider reconstituting the Cabinet to raise the number of women to achieve the two-thirds gender rule.

Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi also accused President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto of “forming a government that favours a section of Kenyans while disadvantaging others”.

Mudavadi, a former Deputy Prime Minister in the Grand Coalition Government, said that the new-look Cabinet as announced by President Kenyatta Tuesday night does not represent the face of Kenya and is not all inclusive.

“The people of Kenya expected a breath of fresh air in a reconstituted Cabinet. A reconstituted Cabinet would have meant all the people of Kenya are made to feel part of government,” said Mudavadi.

He further pointed out that women were excluded from the Cabinet as the new appointments did not meet the one-third gender requirement saying Jubilee has carry on with trends from past regimes.

The post is winning up his three-day visit to Kenya and is set to leave for Uganda on Friday afternoon.

The visit, his first since he was named Pope in 2013, will also see him visit Central Africa Republic (CAR).