Nairobi, Kenya
Church leaders across the country are calling for peace ahead of the 9th August presidential election contest between political long-hauler Raila Odinga and the current Deputy President, William Ruto.
The East African country of more than 53 million people has experienced election violence several times in the last two decades. The worst was the 2007 presidential election, during which 1,500 died and nearly 600,000 were displaced.
Raila Odinga during campaigns. PICTURE: Azimio La Umoja.
The elections in Kenya are tribal and ethnic. Most Kenyans prefer to vote for candidates or parties belonging to their ethnic group. This has increased tension between ethnic groups as they each fight to produce a president with the hope that he will bring development to their areas once in office.
Church leaders are now raising concern that the previous trends of electioneering violence may recur should the politicians fail to tolerate each other. In recent months, several legislators supporting either of the presidential candidates have been charged with hate speech likely to stir ethnic hatred.
Catholic Archbishop Martin Kivuva. PICTURE: Elvis Kenga
“We warn that the political trends so far observed are generating fear among Kenyans,” Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde, of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, said in a statement on 28th May. “Unless drastic measures are taken and a new electoral strategy that controls the conduct and behaviour of politicians and the electorate is enforced, the country could descending into chaos.”
Archbishop Musonde said that already the church had taken up civic and voter education roles to ensure members of the public understand their democratic rights and responsibilities when it comes to choosing leaders. He urged Kenyans to be peaceful and tolerant before, during and after elections and embrace each other as brothers and sisters.
Apart from electing the president, Kenyans would also be voting for governors, senators, women representatives, members of parliament, and members of county assemblies on the same day.
“It is paramount that our choice of leaders should focus on those who have social concern, dignity, and respect of our national values,” said Archbishop Musonde.
Rev Chris Kinyanjui Kamau, of the Anglican Church of Kenya, said that for peace to prevail in the country, the government and the institutions mandated to conduct elections should ensure free, fair and credible elections. He said the church was already reaching out to communities around the country to educate them on the electoral process as they preach peace, tolerance and cohesion.
“The government should ensure that there’s a credible election and handover of power to avert election violence,” said Kamau, who is also is the general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya. “We want to urge President Uhuru Kenyatta [Kenya’s current president, who is not running due to two terms limit] to assure Kenyans that there will be fairness in the polls. I also urge the youths to desist from engaging in violence and mass actions or demonstrations.”
Pastor George Maina, of Joy Pentecostal Church, urged the government to take stern actions against those politicians propagating hate speech during their campaigns. He said he was carrying out door-to-door campaigns to encourage youths and families to be ambassadors of peace as the country heads to competitive elections.
“As a church, we will not sit and watch as politicians incite Kenyans for their benefit,” he said, urging politicians to be considerate about the welfare of citizens and desist from destabilising the country. “I want to appeal to Kenyans to resist any form of incitement from politicians and embrace peace.”
