Primate of Kenya (David Gitari) announces retirement after calling on Moi to quit.Nairobi A week after calling on Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi (born September 2, 1924) was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002. Daniel Arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'. to give up politics and make way for a new generation of leaders, the country's Anglican archbishop announced his own intention to retire. Archbishop David Gitari said in a letter to church officials in May that he would "retire on reaching 65 years of age in September as required by church edict A decree or law of major import promulgated by a king, queen, or other sovereign of a government. An edict can be distinguished from a public proclamation in that an edict puts a new statute into effect whereas a public proclamation is no more than a declaration of a law ." The letter was written a week after the archbishop challenged Mr. Moi, 76, to quit the chairmanship of the ruling party, KANU KANU Kenya African National Union (Kenya African National Union The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU, ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002. It was known as Kenya African Union before it was renamed in 1960. ), when his presidential term expired at the end of this year. Mr. Moi has been president of Kenya for 24 years. Archbishop Gitari has been a vocal critic of Kenyan authorities, and has sparred with Mr. Moi on several occasions. Archbishop Gitari and other church leaders have at various times called for political reforms, including limitations on presidential powers The executive authority given to the president of the United States by Article II of the Constitution to carry out the duties of the office. Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution provides that the "executive power shall be vested in a President of the United and measures to ensure fairness in elections. Mr. Moi became president in 1978 after the death of Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta (October 20, 1889 – August 22, 1978) served as the first Prime Minister (1963–1964) and President (1964–1978) of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation. . It was not until 1992, in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of a struggle between political parties, that the nation's constitution was altered to limit the president's office to two terms of five years each. During a visit to eastern Kenya, the president rejected Archbishop Gitari's call to leave politics. "Tell Archbishop Gitari I will not abandon the chairmanship of my party," the president bantered. "I would like to ensure a smooth transition when much younger people take over as future leaders." Within a few days, Archbishop Gitari found his own plans to retire being questioned. In a report in Kenya's mass circulation Nation, an unnamed source suggested that the archbishop was seeking to extend his term of office beyond the usual age of 65. According to church law, a committee of the church's bishops can extend an archbishop's tenure, the newspaper reported. Angered by the report, Archbishop Gitari stressed "it is not my wish that my term of office be extended even if there is a provision for extension." |
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