Shelve personal ambition and reconcile Kenyans, clerics tell politicians

Supkem Secretary-General Mohamed Mahat, Interreligious Committee Chairman Alfred Rotich, Committee Vice Chairman Mark Kariuki and Rev Stephen Marete address the media at Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, on November 29, 2017. They asked political leaders to shelve their personal interests and focus on reconciling and uniting the country. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Kenyans need to state the issues they have so they can be addressed as part of the reconciliation process, says bishop.

Religious leaders on Wednesday asked political leaders to shelve their personal interests and focus on reconciling and uniting the country.

The leaders from various religions also called for national prayers for healing and reconciliation.

UNITY

Speaking in Nairobi at the Intercontinental Hotel, the chairman of the Interreligious Committee Bishop Alfred Rotich said leaders should urgently unite the country.

He said prayer is a major tool that all religions must use for Kenya’s unity and citizens should turn to God for a way forward.

Christian religious leaders are planning a national prayer day at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Sunday afternoon, while the Muslim leaders have scheduled national prayers on Friday in various mosques.

“We should engage the congregation to pray and ask God to heal our country and enable us to live together in harmony and peace,” said Bishop Rotich.

PRAYERS

The interreligious leaders urged Jubilee Party and Nasa politicians to embrace dialogue.

The chairman of the Evangelical Churches of Kenya and also the vice chair of the committee, Bishop Mark Kariuki, said the country needs to come together and avoid blame games that could further divide the country.

“We, as the religious leaders, are stretching hands of healing and asking everybody in the village to pray until we see our country united,” he said.

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims Secretary-General, Ambassador Mohamed Mahat, said the situation in the country needs God and critical analysis.

“This country requires sincere prayers for God to reconcile the hearts of different Kenyans who are differing on issues,” he said.

PEACE

Mr Mahat said Kenya has been pioneering peace initiatives in other countries such as Somalia and South Sudan, and leaders should not let politics divide the country and lead to anarchy.

“Kenya is a peaceful country, we must speak to one another, put our personal interests aside and put our country first,” he said.

Mr Mahat said the country needs to address the serious economic issues and differences.

RECONCILE

Kenyans need to state the issues under contention so they can be addressed as part of the reconciliation process, said Bishop Rotich.

The call by religious leaders came at a time when the country seems divided with Nasa leader Raila Odinga having declared that he will not recognise President Uhuru Kenyatta presidency.

Mr Raila has since declared that he will be sworn in as president on December 12.