AFRICA/KENYA - Remembering the victims of Garissa, Christian leaders denounce the insecurity in which Kenya lives

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - "As we remember the victims of the Garissa terror attack, we should continue to pray for those who were involved in this tragedy- those who actually killed so that they be converted and have respect for life": this is what Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi said during the ecumenical prayer in memory of the victims of the attack on April 2 at the University of Garissa, during which 148 people lost their lives. The attack was claimed by the Somali Shabaab (see Fides 08/04/2015). The prayer meeting was held on 11 May and was attended by religious leaders of the Catholic Church, the Africa Inland Church, the Deliverance Church, and the Presbyterian Church.
The insecurity in which different areas of Kenya live was recently denounced by the local Bishops' Conference (see Fides 11/05/2015). His Exc. Mgr. Martin Kivuva Musonde, Archbishop of Mombasa, launched the alarm on the fact that insecurity "is driving a wedge between religious groups".
"Some say God has left us. Some ask has God abandoned Kenya? - said Mgr. Kivuva -. We have been the pride of Africa for many years. We have been known for our political maturity, as a business hub and centre for tourism, but this has now been washed away by terror and banditry".
Eliud Wabukala, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya, finally condemned "the culture of short memory, where noise is made after every attack only to be followed by studious silence" and urged the government to ensure justice, because "we hear of arrests and people being taken to court but never the conclusion of the cases". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/05/2015)


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