Here is what Kenyan Atheists want included in the BBI report
Atheists in Kenya have come up with a list of proposals which they want to be added to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report to help broaden the country’s democratic values.
The society acknowledged that it supports the BBI initiative. However, they are of the view that the report has not put into consideration certain factors that affect the secular, free thinkers and humanist organisations.
REMOVE GOD
For instance, they are demanding to have the word God expunged from the National Anthem, since not all Kenyans share a religious belief of a supernatural being.
They also want the word God erased from the constitution of Kenya.
The Preamble of the Kenyan Construction 2010 states: We, the people of Kenya – Acknowledging the supremacy of the Almighty God of all creation:
“Kenyan identity and traditions should also be promoted. This should include persons to have three African names without a western name to restore our Kenyanness,” explained Harrison Mumia Chairman of Atheists in Kenya.
The society is wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries commission (IEBC) to allow any Kenyan above 18 years with an identification card to vote during elections.
According to the society the existence of a voter register is one of the reasons the country has divisive elections in Kenya.
LGBT RIGHTS
“Neither the government nor our Constitution should be seen to be promoting any religion, or certain religious ideas. That is why Kadhi Courts should be abolished. Since it also opens a pandora box for many other religions groups to demand inclusion of their religious practices into the Constitution,”the society said.
Religious education did not fail to make the list.
“Christian, Islamic and Hindu religious education is outdated and should be replaced with a new subject. Religion, Belief and Values (RBV) is what should be taught in schools that will focus more on the history of African Traditional Religion, Christianity, Islam, Hindu, Atheism, Humanism, Spiritualism and any other religion, including Greek Mythology,” Mumia said.
The society also wants lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, should be recognised in the constitution and allowed the freedom to marry and their family’s protected by law.
“Article 45 of our Constitution establishes the family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and the necessary basis of social order. The family enjoys protection of the state. Article 45 (2) states as follows: Every adult has the right to marry a person of the opposite sex, based on the free consent of the parties. We recommend that Article 45 (2) of our Constitution be amended as follows: Every adult has the right to marry any other person, based on the free consent of the parties,” said Mr Mumia.