Kenyans pray for peace ahead of elections

One of the participants at Tuombee Kenya prayer meeting at Uhuru Park yesterday. [Photo/Beverlyne Musili]

Kenyans yesterday turned up at Uhuru Park to pray for peace ahead of next week's elections.

The prayers were attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, who appealed to Kenyans to maintain peace during and after the August 8 polls.

The prayers organised by the Tuombe Kenya Peace Movement spearheaded by Ruto's wife, Rachel, saw hundreds of Kenyans from across the country gather to pray.

The prayer initiative has been to 40 counties so far and is set to visit the remaining seven in the next one week before the country goes to the ballot, all under the theme of peaceful elections.

Uhuru asked Kenyans to maintain peace during and after the polls, saying Kenya was greater than the one-day voting event.

"I want to assure you that this country was here before the August polls and will be here after the elections," Uhuru said.

"I admit that the biggest match we have as a country is asking our people to turn to God to guide us in making our choices," he added.

The Deputy President's wife told the gathering that Kenyans had no reason to fight each other because of the elections, stressing that they needed to continue living together even after the polls.

"What I have been telling the counties is that we have the best country in the whole world. We are trusting God to give us peace in these elections. We need to be the peace keepers for we will be called the children of God," she said.

Donning white attire and waving miniature Kenyan flags, the congregation sang and prayed for the country's peace before, during and after the elections. [Moses Nyamori]