President Uhuru sets aside weekend for national prayers

President Uhuru Kenyatta. [Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has set aside this coming weekend for national prayers in the country.

In a statement seen by Standard Digital, the President will also be holding an inter-faith national prayer service at State House on Saturday from 10 am.

“His Excellency the President has dedicated the forthcoming weekend, Friday 9th to Sunday, October 11, 2020, a national weekend of prayer during which Kenyans are encouraged to pray for the country in their usual places of worship in compliance with Covid-19 containment protocols,” read the statement.

The service will be broadcast live on television, radio and digital media platforms, unlike other national prayer services where members of the public are allowed to attend physically.

The move takes place at a time the country relaxed the tight Covid-19 protocols only to witness a surge in infections in counties even as schools prepare to re-open.

This is the second time the president has called upon religious leaders to lead the country in prayer amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The first national prayer took place on March 28 during the worldwide outbreak of the virus.

Uhuru said that Kenyans could not forsake God, at a time we needed Him the most.

Political and religious leaders congregated at State House, Nairobi on March 21, 2020 to pray for the country over the coronavirus disease.

The message at the time was for leaders to set aside their political differences and come together to fight the virus that many knew little about.

This weekend’s planned congregation comes at an opportune time when the country tackles rising political tensions and political campaigns that threaten to roll back the efforts to flatten the curve.

The prayers will come a day after Uganda's National prayer breakfast set for tomorrow October 8. The event will be led by Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and his wife Janet Museveni at State House Entebbe.