Nairobi (Fides Service) - As Kenya prepares for presidential elections on 27 December the Catholic Bishops have called on the people to reject violence and not to sell their vote for a few pennies but to vote for candidates of exemplary morality who promote programmes in keeping with the Social Teaching of the Church.
Local sources contacted by Fides Service report that in this pre-vote period the situation is calm. "This is a positive change compared with previous round of elections marked by violence and vote-rigging. Today Kenyans have total freedom of speech. An address to the nation by outgoing president Arap Moi urging the people to respect the rules of democracy and accept the results helped to create a tranquil climate. The President told the people that the world is watching Kenya and expects elections to be fair and peaceful. Many hope this vote will serve as an example for the rest of Africa, a continent which still finds it difficult to keep the rules of serene democratic confrontation with respect for human rights.
There have been a few episodes of intimidation but the main parties have signed a code of electoral conduct. There has been no destruction of churches as in the past. These episodes were symptoms not of a conflict over religion, but of religion used once again for political purposes. (Fides Service 18/12/2002)