Catholic Bishops in Ethiopia Laud Kenyan Colleagues for Pastoral Guidance in Elections

Catholics Bishops in Kenya have been vocal about the country’s August 9 elections, calling on the people of God in the East African country to maintain peace during the electioneering period.

In their weekly Sunday message that was issued August 7, the Catholic Bishops called on Kenyans to act with civility “in voting, and in receiving results”.

“Dear Kenyans, we must exercise the greatest patience as we wait for the final results from IEBC,” KCCB members said, and added, “We especially appeal to the candidates, to avoid agitating and acclamations until the official results are announced.”

“At the end of the whole election process, all of us emerge winners by how we conduct ourselves and keep the peace. May the spirit of the Lord be upon each one of us voters to know to pray and submit to the Lord our desire for everlasting peace and justice,” KCCB members said in their collective message that was read out by Archbishop Martin Kivuva on August 7.

In a separate message, the Local Ordinary of Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya urged the electorate in the East African nation to be prepared to accept the outcome of the August 9 general elections noting that life has to continue after the polls.

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In his message on the occasion of the imposition of the Pallium on him as the Local Ordinary of Nairobi Archdiocese on August 7, Archbishop Philip Subira Anyolo also urged political candidates “to accept the results”.

“I urge you to prepare to live beyond the 9th of August,” Archbishop Anyolo said, and added, “It is possible for the person you support to lose and the candidate you do not support to win or vice versa.”

The Kenyan Archbishop likened the election results to a sport where there must be a winner and a loser and encouraged those who will be elected to “extend a hand of goodwill” to their competitors, saying, “Everyone will be a winner. Kenya will be the winner. Kenyans will be the winners.”

“We pray that the winners will bring to fruition the promises they made for the good of our country,” he said.

Messages of goodwill have also been flowing from other parts of the world to the people of God in Kenya, urging Kenyans to prove to the world that they are a peace-loving country.

In a video recording that the Kenya Catholic Media Network published on August 2, Archbishop Mengisteab Tesfamariam  of Asmara in Eritrea expressed his prayerful solidarity with the people of God in Kenya ahead of the general elections polls that were conducted on August 9.

Archbishop Tesfamariam shared his best wishes for Kenyans, noting that fair elections provide an occasion for good governance.

“I want to assure you that we will pray on that day and afterwards that the elections go smoothly and that they are fair and the voice of the people is listened to,” the Eritrean Archbishop said in the video that was recorded on the sidelines of the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The member of the  Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ)  added, “Elections are moments or opportunities given to us to express our wish so that we may have good governance.”

The representative of the Holy Father in Kenya has also called on Kenyans to maintain peace and justice after the elections and to show the world who they really are.

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In his speech at the imposition of the Pallium on Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba of Kenya’s Kisumu Archdiocese, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen said that the electioneering period in Kenya is a time for Kenyans to show that they are “people that will not be provoked; people who can keep their calm.”

The Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya who also represents the Holy Father in South Sudan said that it is a time for Kenyans to demonstrate that they are people who can respect the democratic system and will receive their democratically elected leader, whatever tribe, whatever region he may be from.

“That is an indication of being a grown up and mature nation – that you are able to overcome your tribal feelings and you can understand the good qualities in the other,” the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya said during the July 30 event, and added, “That is what binds Kenya together.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.