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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000370 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.12958: N /A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF KCOR KE
 
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS LEADERS CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, 
RECONCILIATION BUT REMAIN DIVIDED 
 
REF: A. 08 Nairobi 2200 
¶B. 07 Nairobi 4652 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. In their first real attempt since the post-election 
crisis to regain their role as advocates for social change, 
leaders from the Inter-Religious Forum called on Kenyans to 
come together for a day of prayer and reflection on 
February 19.  In a transparent attempt to preempt criticism 
for their lack of progress on rampant corruption and the 
reform agenda, the Government of Kenya undertook to use the 
already announced day of prayer for a fundraiser for 
victims of the recent fires in Nairobi and Molo.  Some 
religious leaders refused to allow the political agenda to 
be swept under the carpet, however, and used their time at 
the pulpit to publicly criticize politicians for their 
failure to provide moral leadership during this crucial 
time in Kenya's history.  The religious leaders' message 
was right on target, but if they are to rally civil society 
behind them they will have to restore the credibility they 
lost by their expressions of political and ethnic 
favoritism before and after the post-election crisis. 
These political and ethnic divides will have to be bridged 
before religious leaders can once again become a powerful 
force for social change.  End Summary. 
 
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Prayer Day Turns Acrimonious 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. Kenya?s Inter-Religious Forum (an umbrella organization 
with Christian, Muslim, and Hindu members) recently called 
Kenyans together for a National Day of Prayer to be held on 
February 19.  The day of prayer - themed "God Restore Our 
Nation" - was intended partly to remember the victims of 
the recent fires in Nairobi and Molo that killed scores of 
Kenyans, but also to enjoin political leaders to do better 
by the Kenyan people in light of the recent fuel and maize 
scandals and the government?s failure to create a special 
tribunal to bring those who had encouraged, funded or 
participated in the post-election violence to justice. 
 
¶3. In an apparent attempt to deflect attention from its 
political failures, the Government of Kenya issued 
invitations to a prayer meeting/fundraiser that superseded 
the prayer day event the Inter-Religious Forum had 
previously announced at the Kenya International Conference 
Center in Nairobi.  President Kibaki summoned political 
leaders to the event to pay their respects -- and make eye- 
popping financial contributions -- to the fire victims. 
 
¶4. Some religious leaders attending the event refused to 
allow attention to be deflected from their political 
agenda, and when they had an opportunity to speak, they 
took politicians to task for their failure to take any 
realistic action on the reform agenda, fight corruption, or 
address the ethnic divide that led to the post-election 
violence.  Bishop Boniface Adoyo of the Evangelical 
Alliance of Kenya told leaders that Kenyans are 
"discouraged, disillusioned, and angry" about their 
political leadership's failure to respond to food shortages 
and allegations of corruption.  Turning to President Kibaki 
and Prime Minister Odinga, Adoyo accused both of being 
"reluctant to punish some of your perceived friends who are 
corrupt and greedy."  Professor Abdulghafur El-Busaidy of 
the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (SUPKEM) called on 
political leaders to change, as they were bringing Kenyan 
communities to the brink of self destruction.  ?Instead of 
reconciling the ethnic divide, they are aggravating it,? he 
said. 
 
¶5. Politicians appeared surprised to be put on the 
defensive, but President Kibaki was quick to downplay 
religious leaders' accusations, saying that the blame game 
was not a sensible approach.  "All of you have jobs to do," 
Kibaki said, "this is the wrong forum to direct 
criticisms." (Note: Religious leaders were later invited to 
participate in a private meeting with political leaders. 
End Note.) 
 
¶6. After the prayer day event, Anglican Archbishop Benjamin 
 
NAIROBI 00000370  002 OF 002 
 
 
Nzimbi professed his readiness to rally Kenyans into mass 
action to press the government to tackle corruption and 
impunity.  Catholic Bishop Martin Kivivu added his voice to 
the growing chorus of religious leaders when he defended 
his colleagues who spoke out against the government. 
"Instead of apologising to Kenyans and showing the way 
forward, [political leaders] started by challenging church 
leaders, who had no ill motive other than pointing out what 
was sinking the country," he said. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Religious Leaders: Heal Thyselves 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. Although their message was right on target, Kenya's 
religious leaders deserve some of the blame for 
perpetuating ethnic rivalries (Ref A).  Perhaps 
unwittingly, Vice President Musyoka evoked a case in point 
during the prayer event when he asked for donations to the 
victims of the church burning in Kiambaa that occurred in 
the heat of the post election violence in January 2008. 
After the tragic 2008 New Year's Day burning of an 
Assemblies of God church in Kiambaa that killed 50 people, 
a local Kalenjin NGO collected donations to rebuild the 
Kikuyu church.  Instead of becoming a bridge between the 
two alienated communities, religious leaders instead bent 
to pressure from hostile members of the Kikuyu community 
who took over the reconstruction and have since turned the 
church into a defiant rallying point (and lucrative 
fundraising opportunity) for the Kikuyu community. 
 
¶8. In a written statement released on the Day of Prayer 
that reiterated their calls on the government to promote 
accountability and make progress on reform agenda, 
religious leaders recognized their own shortcomings and 
asked Kenyans for forgiveness for their failure to help 
build a united, prosperous Kenya. 
 
¶9. Another indication of the extent of ethnic divisions in 
the religious community came from a team of Quakers doing 
peace work in the Rift Valley who recently warned of the 
potential for renewed violence in Uasin Gishu District.  In 
a statement, the team appealed to churches and religious 
organizations to avoid identifying themselves with specific 
ethnic groups. 
 
¶10. Conspicuous by his absence at KICC was Catholic 
Cardinal Njue, who originally rose to prominence as a 
vociferous advocate of social change during President Moi?s 
era but has since been accused of pulling his punches. 
Njue was listed on the program to deliver the closing 
prayer at the KICC event, but he failed to appear, possibly 
anticipating the critical tone the forum would take.  Since 
then Njue has publicly criticized his fellow religious 
leaders for their disrespect and criticism of government 
officials. 
 
----------------------------- 
Helping Leaders Walk the Walk 
----------------------------- 
 
¶11. Comment: A diverse group of religious leaders who 
emerged from the post-election crisis less tainted than 
some of their colleagues now appear to be positioning 
themselves as vanguards of political reform.  If they are 
to galvanize civil society in the same way their 
predecessors did in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they 
will need to work harder to present a united front that can 
resist the pressure of divisive ethnic - and other - 
politics. 
 
¶12. Comment, cont.: The prayer day occurred in the context 
of our continuing high profile efforts to press for full 
implementation of the reform agenda, including meaningful 
actions taken to combat corruption.  We are continuing our 
outreach to broad segments of civil society, business 
leaders, and religious communities to urge their active 
engagement in bringing fundamental change to Kenya, through 
peaceful political reform and an end to the culture of 
impunity.  The Ambassador is planning to meet with 
religious leaders.  End Comment. 
RANNEBERGER