WCC sees signs of hope in Kenya, praises churches for peacemaking role
Residents of the Muthare slum area in Nairobi who have fled the post-election violence receive blankets and other emergency relief supplies from Church World Service through the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Photo: Stephen H. Padre/ACT International
The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has called on Kenyan political leaders to keep moving towards dialogue while praising the countries' churches for their role in peacemaking.
"While the situation continues to be critical, some signs of hope can be seen", Kobia said in a public statement today. He welcomed recent developments in the country and expressed hope that the "political stalemate" may be broken. "We call on the political leaders, especially President Kibaki and Hon. Raila Odinga, to refrain from taking decisions that might frustrate the process towards dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the conflict", he said.
Violence tainted with ethnical components erupted across the country following a disputed presidential election last December. Reports estimate that about 600 people have been killed, while some 200,000 have fled their homes.
Kobia praised the work of the Kenyan churches, which have been "strongly involved in resolving the situation and calling for peace", at a time when their "ministry of healing and reconciliation" is deeply needed. "Church leaders must continue to rise above ethnic differences and politics and call for an end to the disputes", he said.
The WCC statement also appeals to churches around the world to "continue to pray for the Kenyan people and churches and to provide humanitarian aid through ecumenical partners" in the country.
Full text of the 9 January statement on Kenya by the WCC general secretary
All Africa Conference of Churches
National Council of Churches of Kenya
