Nyeri Religious and political leaders on Monday united to urge Kenyans to uphold peace as the campaign season hits fever pitch.
The leaders were speaking during the eighth Nyeri County Prayer Breakfast, which brought together political leaders, clergy, the business community and representatives from the National Government at the Nyeri Golf Club.
Led by the Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Nyeri, Anthony Muheria, the clergy under the Nyeri Ecumenical Council of Bishops have called upon political leaders to be the gatekeepers of peace in all places and ways.
They also called on all citizens to safeguard peace in their families, especially during the upcoming electioneering season.
“On behalf of the religious leaders and people of Nyeri, our wish to the politicians, the Members of Parliament, it does not matter how you will get to Parliament; it does not matter the avenue, the party or the political ideology you will use to capture that seat; our prayer is that you stick together just the way you have sat here today like brothers and sisters discussing matters pertaining to the welfare of citizens. May the politicians present and even those who are not here know this, you are all our leaders no matter your political persuasion,” Muheria said.
Muheria added that as the church, they will remain impartial in political matters.
He called upon religious leaders to pray for peace and to tirelessly preach peace and intercede on behalf of the county and nation.
“Irrespective of political persuasion, the church stands for all. Also as religious leaders, let us commit ourselves to defending God’s gift of peace and be instruments of preaching peace even in the time of the upcoming election campaign and the actual elections,” Muheria added.
The Nyeri County Governor, Mutahi Kahiga, attributed his smooth tenure in office to the good collaboration between the clergy, the County Assembly and the people of Nyeri at large.
“I am humbled by the journey that we have walked for the last five years. I would like to appreciate the clergy and the County Assembly together with great people of this county for working together in bringing Nyeri to where it should be. We have been ranked the best county in different fields especially in procurement. We are here because there are men and women of God that bless us before the altar every morning,” Kahiga said.
He added; “I am not taking pride in anything. It’s neither knowledge nor height nor weight in what we have achieved but let everyone say if God was not on our side, we could have been defeated. The peace that has prevailed in Nyeri that was once unheard of in the beginning of the devolution journey has become the cornerstone of our developments.”
By Ann Ngure
