Evangelical Alliance of Kenya Appoints CITAM Bishop Calisto Odede as Chair, Raises Urgent National Alarms Over Electoral Reforms and School Curriculum Shifts

 



NAIROBI, KENYA — June 19, 2026 — The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), the national umbrella body representing over 700 evangelical denominations and Christian organizations across the country, concluded its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) today, announcing a major leadership transition and issuing a critical national communiqué touching on the country's political, economic, and educational future.

New Leadership Takes the Helm

Marking a new chapter in its 50-year history of evangelical witness, the Alliance has officially transitioned its leadership. Bishop Calisto Odede, the Presiding Bishop of Christ Is the Answer Ministries (CITAM), has been appointed as the incoming National Chairman. He succeeds Bishop Philip Kitoto, who has successfully completed his term of service.

The AGM also ratified a restructured executive team to steer the Alliance through the coming years:

  • National Chairman: Bishop Calisto Odede

  • Vice Chairman: Bishop Dr. Robert Langat

  • Honorary Treasurer: Rev. Lydia Besseling Wanjiah (succeeding Rev. Ambrose Nyangau)

  • General Secretary: Rev. Kepha Nyandega

Low Voter Turnout Concerns Ahead of 2027 Polls

While the EAK commended the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for its ongoing democratic efforts, the church leaders expressed deep concern over sluggish numbers in the newly updated voter registries. The Alliance revealed that the number of newly registered voters falls significantly short of the IEBC’s 6 million target.

"We strongly urge those who are yet to register, especially our young people, to visit designated IEBC centers immediately," the communiqué notes. "Credible elections require early, deliberate preparation. We call upon Parliament to expedite pending electoral reforms to build rock-solid public confidence."

The Alliance also heavily condemned the resurgence of "goonism," political violence, and the mobilization of criminal gangs to disrupt peaceful civic spaces, demanding that the National Police Service and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) prosecute perpetrators impartially, regardless of political standing.

Stance on Education: Resistance to Madrassa Integration

The EAK took a firm, conditional stance regarding the Ministry of Education's ongoing policy revisions. While welcoming the recruitment of nearly 100,000 basic education teachers and the ongoing midstream Competency-Based Education (CBE) reviews, the Alliance raised dynamic resistance against the proposed integration of Duksi and Madrassa institutions into the national formal curriculum.

The Alliance cautioned that folding explicitly religious centers into the unified public standard threatens the foundational secularity and cohesion of Kenya's educational network. They insisted that any adjustments fundamentally shifting these parameters must face extensive public participation and constitutional scrutiny before implementation.

Additionally, the EAK pushed the Ministry of Education to fast-track delayed funding for government-sponsored students in Private Universities and to stabilize primary and secondary school operations by releasing long-overdue capitation funds.

Fiscal Prudence and Health Sector Debts

Addressing the severe cost-of-living strain on ordinary Kenyans, the Alliance implored the government to exercise strict discipline over public resources as the new financial year begins. EAK's economic blueprint requests immediate action to:

  1. Eliminate wasteful government spending and non-essential expenditure.

  2. Aggressively intensify the crackdown on public corruption and economic crimes.

  3. Deploy targeted relief packages and job-creation stimulus structures for vulnerable households.

On health, the Alliance recognized the initial rollout progress of the Social Health Authority (SHA) but strongly reprimanded the government over persistent remittance backlogs. The EAK exposed that massive unpaid debts are still owed to local Mission Hospitals, crippling their capacity to provide crucial maternal, mental health, and emergency services to underserved communities.

Standing Up for Religious Freedoms

The communiqué closed with a sharp reminder regarding constitutional protections. Leaders noted with regret that a segment of Christians across the country continue to face hospitality friction, illegal arrests, and quiet persecution. The EAK explicitly warned individuals within local security apparatuses against being weaponized to suppress or curtail the freedom of worship.

The Alliance concluded by rallying local churches to utilize the Kenya National Prayer and Transformation Movement—launched earlier this May—to fuel continuous intercession for economic recovery, ethical governance, and deep-rooted spiritual renewal across the territory.

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