The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2023.
The organisation was nominated by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW) jointly with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.
The nomination of the organization is intended to draw attention to their tireless work to address the global threats to democratic governments and voting rights.
“We are nominating these organizations, FRRC and NCCK, for their work in building democracies, supporting the human right to representation by government, and working towards a better organized and peaceful world,” AFSC said in a nominating letter dated January 23, 2023.
Founded in 1913, NCCK is made up of Christian churches and organizations that for more than a century, have worked for the civil rights of Kenyans through broadening democratic space, access to education, rehabilitation of soldiers into civil society, and speaking up against any form of state violence.
While NCCK maintains that religious organizations should remain neutral and not endorse any political party or leader, it has encouraged political awareness and participation so that all Kenyans can participate in governance and decision-making processes at all levels of government.
“We are very excited and humbled by this nomination which acknowledges 100 years of work put in by the 16 million Christians in our member churches who daily give hope, and transform lives in our communities,” said Rev Canon Chris Kinyanjui, the NCCK General Secretary.
In the 2022 general election, as was in previous polls, the religious organization was actively involved in electoral observation and peace building especially in highly contested polls.
“Coming shortly after the overwhelmingly peaceful General Elections and transition in 2022, the nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize affirms the truth of the word which tells us that ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward’ (Colossians 3: 231),” it added.
“These efforts climaxed in the outbreak of peace experienced during and after the hotly contested 2022 General Elections that was driven by intensive peace messaging and campaigns for peaceful voting and seeking legal redress for disputed results in courts rather than on the streets as was witnessed in the past.”
As former Nobel laureates, AFSC and QPSW have the privilege of making Nobel nominations.
In 1947, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Friends Service Council (the precursor to QPSW) and AFSC on behalf of Quakers worldwide for their work during and after the two world wars to feed starving children and help Europe rebuild itself.
The organizations use their nomination to highlight the work of others continuing the vital work of peacebuilding.
The late Prof Wangari Maathai won the Nobel peace prize in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
