Uhuru Kenyatta calls for one week of national prayer

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday called for one week of national prayer for a peaceful election and rain.

Mr Kenyatta suggested that starting March 6, the whole country spares time to pray.

“May we all join hands as Kenyans to pray for our beloved nation, for peace, unity, harmony, understanding, and also for rain,” he said.

He was speaking when he attended a Catholic Church Mass convened by bishops to usher in the Lent period.

The theme of this year’s Lent period of 40 days, characterised by fasting, prayer, reflection and giving to the poor, is “Peaceful and Credible Elections”.

Mr Kenyatta urged politicians to avoid doublespeak. “We have argued dishonestly in pursuit of selfish ends; we have hurt one another on the basis of nothing more than the languages we grew up speaking, and we have allowed ourselves to be divided by leaders who lack integrity,” the President said.

The President also said it is the role of the political class and the collective responsibility of all Kenyans to ensure that they end the cycle of fear and uncertainty every election year.

“We need an environment that is predictable and not one which is subject to the whims of politics,” he said.

“I will hold myself to a high standard of integrity. I pray that God take my hand, and all our millions of hands, to guide us toward a higher destiny in the coming weeks, months and years,” the President said.

BE EXPLOITED

Archbishop Martin Kivuva urged the youth not to allow themselves to be exploited during the electioneering period.

John Cardinal Njue urged Kenyans to shun divisions and guard against those who want to create conflicts.

Nominated senator Agnes Zani, who represented the National Super Alliance (Nasa), said the opposition was dedicated to ensuring a peaceful and credible election.

“It is of symbolic significance that we start Lent before the elections, that we may reflect on what is coming our way,” she said.

She called for unity among leaders, saying it is time the opposition and the ruling party sat together to engage in dialogue on a roadmap for a peaceful election.

Wundanyi Member of Parliament (MP) Thomas Mwadegu asked that all institutions involved in elections, especially the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, put in place measures that will build public trust.

“I also want to call on my fellow MPs that as they campaign, they do so peacefully,” he said.

The clergy asked Kenyans to ensure that they interrogate the manifestos of those who want to lead Kenya.