AFRICA/KENYA - “No to violence”: religious leaders appeal while waiting for official results

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) “No to violence; legal paths must be taken to resolve disputes”. This is the sense of an appeal made by the religious leaders of Kenya, meeting at the Multi-Sectional Forum, awaiting the issue of the official results of political and presidential elections held 8 August (see Fides 8/8/2017). Results so far give victory to outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta, but his opponent Raila Odinga, denounces meddling and affirmed that Information Technology system was hacked to manipulate the election results (see Fides 9/8/2017).
European Observers said they found no trace of “manipulation central or local” in the voting process. “We have taken seriously the concerns expressed by Rt Hon Raila
Odinga, the presidential candidate of the National Super Alliance (NASA) as well as the expressions made by the other candidates," said Canon Peter Karanja,
Secretary General of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) on
their behalf. “It is important that we do not engage in acts of violence or other
destructive activities. We are confident that the IEBC and the main
political parties and formations are working to resolve the issues raised.
So let us as Kenyans be peaceful as we wait for this processes to be
concluded," he added.
In another statement the Kenyan religious leaders expressed appreciation for the work of the security agencies to guarantee a peaceful election. In a few isolated incidents in the west of the country, stronghold of the Opposition and in slums of Nairobi, 4 persons were killed. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 10/8/2017)

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