As members of religious communities, we must defend those whose rights and dignities may have been violated during this electioneering period, speaking for them and serving them in whatever ways possible. Religious communities must not be places into which we retreat for relief and safety among people who are just like ourselves. This responsibility of going beyond our familiar “gates” is especially incumbent on all religious leaders, those who share in the oversight and service of God’s pilgrim people. Because religious leaders are generally accorded moral authority, their public dissent from conflict leaders and/or their ideology, can effectively undermine the legitimacy of negative campaigns. Religious leaders in our country are custodians of theology and ethics; at this historical crossroad, they are expected to provide the moral leadership that Kenya requires to align its reality with its noble democratic rhetoric.

Source: Standard Digital May 12, 2017 22:13 UTC