(From left to right) Newton Midamba, Senior Manager of Partnership; Linet Ochieng, Senior Manager of Business Support; Justus Muinde, Senior People and Culture Strategic Partner; Catherine Wamiti, Senior Manager of Program Support; Samuel Wambugu, National Director; Christine Musau, Director of Program Operations; Gregory Papoi, Assistant General Counsel; and Bishop Shadrach Oloo, Member of the Compassion International Kenya Board
On Wednesday, August 30, 2023, we celebrated and co-sponsored signing of the Code of Conduct and Governance Guidelines for the Church in Kenya at the All-Saints Cathedral Trinity Centre Auditorium. It is the first of its kind in Kenya and was developed by the Hesabika Trust to unite churches in matters of ethics and governance. Compassion International is a Christian holistic child and youth development organization that works to release children from poverty.
Compassion partners with four hundred and sixty churches in thirty-one Counties across Kenya to lift children and youth out of economic, physical, spiritual, and social poverty. We believe in the need to ensure that our partners share in the belief that every child should be loved and protected. The Code
demonstrates that the Church can effectively and objectively self-regulate. The Code of Conduct and Governance Guidelines for the Church in Kenya covers core values, ethical responsibility and personal conduct for church leaders, the Church as an institution, and its congregation. It provides for the stewardship of church finances and other assets (savings and investments, fundraising, remuneration, tithes, and procurement).
It has disciplinary and complaints handling, and dispute prevention and resolution procedures.
Churches that sign the Code demonstrate a commitment to good governance and conduct with their leadership and congregation and respect for internal and external resources. They will need to build the internal capacity to adhere to the Code. It will support their Christ-centered capacity to uplift the communities they serve, align with our mission, and make them more effective partners in our work to lift children from poverty.
The development of the Code was driven by the need for the Church to model good governance and accountability, even as we demand the same from political and government leaders. Compassion International Kenya endorses and supports the Code of Conduct and Governance Guidelines for the Church in Kenya because it promotes shared values of ethics and governance among churches.
This endorsement reinforces Compassion International’s mission to lift children out of poverty by ensuring its partner churches uphold ethical standards. Together, we will lift every child and youth from poverty in Jesus’ name.
