First Lady Margaret Kenyatta today joined thousands of women who rose up in national prayers where they sent a strong message against political violence ahead of the August elections.
The First Lady told the women they have a special role to play as agents of peace, healing, conflict resolution, and reconciliation- roles that are often not acknowledged or forgotten altogether.
The women faithful drawn from all parts of the country said the country cannot afford a repeat of the 2007/2008 where women suffered the greatest blunt by losing their husbands, brothers, and sisters.
“This is an experience women in Kenya will never want to go through again. This is why we have gathered today to pray and seek divine intervention so that the current trend of electoral violence may be stopped”, said a Communique’ read by the Chairlady of PCEA Central Committee of Woman’s Guild Veronica Muchiri
The interdenominational prayers at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani brought together “prayer warriors” from different churches who also implored God to save the country from , corruption, tribalism and hatred, poverty and drugs among the youth.
“We as a nation failed in the past, we must not fail again. Women lost their husbands, their fathers and mothers, their brothers and sisters, their sons and daughters”, said the women in the communiqué after the 7-hour marathon prayer session in reference to the 2007/2008 Post Election Violence.
After the intensive prayers, the First Lady said the intercessory prayers by the women of faith blended well with the Easter Season of reflection, renewal and thanksgiving.
Despite the diversity of the Kenyans and their varied interests, said the First Lady, the people have only one common focus- a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“Without peace, we will collectively fail as a community and as a nation”, said the First Lady
She said today’s prayers provided a special opportunity for women to remember their critical role as citizens of Kenya.
“We must remember and celebrate our role as girls, women and citizens of this nation, and the opportunity we have to influence and espouse values that will bring us together as nation”, said the First Lady.
She singled out the PCEA Woman Guild movement for praise saying the movement holds a unique status in our communities and as a united frontier that provides leadership roles in the church and society.
“Throughout history, you have stood in the forefront to speak against choices and practices that are harmful to children, women and men”, she added
The women also offered intercessory prayers against political divisions among Kenyans and factions in the church.
The National prayers which were organized by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Woman’s Guild were attended by Women from the Catholic, Anglican Church of Kenya, Methodist and Pentecostal Churches of Kenya among other groups.
The National Assembly Lady Spouses Association of Kenya (NALSA-K) was represented by its chairperson Jackie Kiaraho.
The women said they are concerned over intensified political activity in the country and especially the increasing instances of violence within the campaigns.
“The trend does not portend well for the future of the nation”, said Mrs Muchiri
The women said they had learnt their lessons the hard way where they carried the greatest burden of any political instability including being attacked, raped and gang-raped by both citizens and security agencies.
Others were forcibly subjected to Female Genital mutilation and those in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)Camps forced to engage in transactional sex with aid workers.
The Christian faithful called on all women to have the courage and wisdom to stand for peace adding that women all over the world have the potential to stop unnecessary wars.
“Throughout human history, women play a big role in allowing or stopping wars. We are confident that with God’s empowerment, the women of Kenya will take their position and stop our men from engaging in violence before, during and after the elections”, said Mrs Muchiri
They gave biblical examples of women like Esther, Abigail and Abel Beth as heroines who had saved their own people.
“Woman of Kenya, do not fear, take courage and face off those who are planning to perpetrate violence and tell them to stop. If we keep silent at this time, we are the ones who will suffer most if violence breaks out during the elections”, said the Christian women.
In a specific message to men, they said political violence was not worth anything and ended causing momentous pain to the individual, family, and relatives. They must stop it.
They asked security agencies to handle all Kenyans within the provisions of the law when addressing cases of unlawfulness, adding some Kenyans had been either killed or maimed in the hands of the police.
The women told all political aspirants not to aspire for positions watered by the blood of Kenyans.
“That will bring a curse on your family”, said the Christian women.