Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr. Fred Matiang’i has lauded the church for organizing interdenominational peace prayers ahead of the forthcoming General Election slated for August 8.
Matiang’i commended the interdenominational clergy’s initiative, while gracing the prayers held at Manga Stadium in Nyamira County Friday, saying the move was one of its kind because it will enable peace amongst the members of the Maasai, Kipsigis and Kisii communities during the electioneering period.
“The peace that the three communities are enjoying at the moment has taken a big struggle to attain. We used to have bitter animosity and fights due to cattle rustling, boundary disagreements and worse of it all, political incitements, which led to unnecessary loss of property and lives,” he explained.
The CS noted that intercommunity fights instigated by politicians during the electioneering period has equally caused tension amongst many communities in the country
Matiang’i noted that the reason why the clergy had decided to organize for intercommunity peace prayers ahead of the General Election is a commitment that peace will be maintained throughout the electioneering period.
He said the country cannot afford to lose a single life because of a disgruntled politician who fails to achieve personal ambition of attaining a political seat,” he said.
The CS stated that the three communities who had decided to join for prayers should stand their ground and tell off selfish politicians inciting them for inter community fights, simply because their political ambitions have been thwarted.
“Don’t join in prayers today and in a few days, you don’t see one another eye to eye because of an election outcome, which would then mean your Christianity is questionable, because it has failed to be put into practice. The love and peaceful co-existence we have prayed for, should be maintained even after elections because we do not have an alternative country to live and invest in,” the CS challenged the congregation.
Matiang’i suggested to the clergy to strengthen the peace prayers initiative by holding rotational interdenominational prayers among the neighboring communities annually, because prayer is a key factor in cementing their cordial relationship and peaceful co-existence.
The director of Nyamira Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist church (SDA) Dr. William Ongaga while presenting his sermon urged the Christians from all denominations to be ambassadors of peace right from their homes and to other parts of the community and country at large.
“Our peace prayers should be accompanied with actions so that we can show true discipleship, as we read in the Holy Bible by showing love to all our brothers and sisters irrespective of their ethnic background and further seeking for amicable ways of accessing justice when wronged, because mechanisms have already been put in place by our able government,” the pastor appealed.
The interdenominational prayers were conducted by clergy from the SDA, Catholic church, Pentecostal Assemblies of God church (PAG) amongst others, where clergy and members from these churches drawn from Nyamira, Bomet, Narok and Kericho Counties were in attendance.
By Deborah Bochere
