Anxiety in the Diaspora ahead of Saba Saba rally

Kenyan American Community Church leader George Gitahi on July 5, 2014 urged Kenyan Churches across the world to pray for their country ahead of the Saba Saba rally.

Kenyans in the Diaspora were apprehensive at the weekend as uncertainty gripped some parts of the country ahead of Saba Saba rally called by Cord leader Raila Odinga and his allies.

International media splashed pictures of families fleeing their homes leaving palpable disquiet among Kenyans residing outside the country.

Some who spoke to the Nation said they had received reports that some of their relatives were among those fleeing their homes in fear of violence. (READ: Residents flee ahead of meeting)

“Although the leaders keep saying there will be no bloodshed, there are those who say “once bitten twice shy” and cannot trust the assurances,” said Mark Reja Otieno, a resident of Washington DC.

He told the Nation that his parents fled their home in Naivasha.

FEEL THE HEAT

On Saturday, head of Kenyan American Community Church Rev George Gitahi appealed to Kenyans to be peaceful and “spare a moment to remember your motherland.”

Dr Gitahi led the church in singing the Kenyan national anthem and quoted parts of Psalm 146 saying; “Kenya should not place her trust in mortal men. God is our only hope, may he show us the way out of the current mess.”

In Lowell Massachusetts on Friday, Pastor of Neema Presbyterian Church Karimi Mumbui led worshippers in praying for Kenya.

“We believe that God will not let the devil win on this. We also hope the leaders will put the country first,” he told the Nation during a phone interview.

In Atlanta on Sunday morning, evangelist and gospel musician Naomi Karanja told faithfuls to intercede on behalf of Kenya.

“Let us not think that if there is chaos in Kenya, we will be spared because we live far away. The truth is in one way or another, we will feel the heat,” she said.

THEORIES AND PROPAGANDA

In Boston, religious leaders from different denominations held prayers at different venues over the weekend.

According to Ajabuafrica.com, the prayer meetings were attended by thousands of Kenyans.

Some took to social media to condemn the planned rally while others said they support it. “The Jubilee Government is using conspiracy theories and propaganda to scare Kenyans.

“Using the assertion that there will be chaos does not help the situation because it is the government which has been adamant and is not offering any solutions to the myriad problems facing Kenya,” said California based Kenneth Muthengi in an email message sent to the Nation.

In the run up to 2007 elections, alarmist messages were spread through social media, mainly Facebook and Twitter.