Church leaders: Terrorism dividing Kenyans

Church leaders from different denominations gather at Ufungamano for interdenominational prayers for the Garissa terror attack victims and survivors on 11-05-15. [Photo Tabitha Otwori/STANDARD]

Church leaders have asked the Government to address insecurity in the country, saying religious divisions are slowly taking root.

Speaking during an interdenominational prayer day for the Garissa university attack victims, the clergy said they have been having a difficult time explaining to their congregations what has been going on in the country and urged Christians to be tolerant.

Mombasa Archbishop Martin Kivuva said insecurity has not only eroded the positive side of Kenya but is also driving a wedge between religious groups.

He said: "Some say God has left us. Some ask, has God abandoned Kenya? 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."

Mr Kivuva said it is unfortunate Kenyans have been reduced to statistics by the continued killings by terrorists and bandits.

"I have on two different occasions been asked by taxi drivers if God has abandoned Kenya. It was a difficult question but I understood them. One told me the church has to take a position," Kivuva said while delivering his sermon.

He asked Kenyans to help the security agencies identify terror suspects who, according to him, are "in our midst". Bishop Mark Kariuki of Deliverance Church said the killings in the country have reached alarming levels.

"The Government should arrest the politicians linked to the killings," he said. He said the Constitution is responsible for some of the deaths, which according to him, police could have prevented.

"The law is not friendly to our police officers and that is why nowadays they take so long to respond to even the simplest distress calls. Everything has been politicised," he said.

Diocese of Nairobi Bishop Joel Waweru asked for the conclusion of cases of suspects, who have been charged with terror activities. He said the cases take too long while some are never concluded.

Canon Francis Omondi said following the Garissa attack, Kenyans of Somali origin are no longer feeling safe. He said Muslim students have been denied admission to schools in some parts of the country.

"The students got admissions but were turned away. They were told 'you killed our people'. This is not good. With the current trend, we are heading to a difficult time," he said.

Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Eliud Wabukala asked Kenyans to help the Government counter insecurity. The Bishops were left in tears when two students who survived the Garissa University attack gave an account of what transpired. Fredrick Gitonga said it was God who saved his life since he could not understand why he failed to attend morning prayers that day.

He said: "I was hesitant to go for the morning prayers. I was shocked when bullets started hitting our hostel. I ran but came back when I realised I had not put on a shirt. It is a miracle that I survived under the bed. I heard my friends die. Some were calling their parents while others asked for water to drink."

Margaret Murugi said when she heard the heavy gunfire, she thought a transformer had exploded.