VZCZCXRO1554
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHNR #0766 1061356
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161356Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9209
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000766 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E Driano 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KE
 
SUBJECT:  Religious Leaders Call for Action on Reform 
 
REF:  (A) Nairobi 714 (B) Nairobi 753 
 
UNCLASSIFIED - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
¶1. Summary.  In recent months religious leaders have been exerting 
strong leadership to press President Kibaki and Prime Minister 
Odinga to implement the reform agenda.  The religious leaders have 
enormous influence with the Kenyan people, and thus are a positive 
force in urging peaceful pressure on the coalition to carry out 
reforms.  End summary. 
 
¶2. Reftels report on the Ambassador's meetings with the Catholic 
Episcopal Conference and the National Council of Churches.  Outreach 
to religious groups is part of our broader effort to energize them, 
civil society, the private sector, and the media to exert pressure 
for implementation of the reform agenda. 
 
¶3. Even before the Ambassador's most recent meetings with them, the 
religious groups have been exerting strong leadership.  The 
Inter-Religious Forum is an umbrella group of many religious groups 
and played a key role last year in mobilizing the Kenyan people to 
insist on a political settlement.  The Forum recently issued a 
strong message through full page advertisements in the newspapers. 
The Forum warned that "tribal hatred" is rampant, and declared that 
"political leaders in Kenya have been the greatest threat to peace 
and prosperity."  The Forum castigated politicians, saying that "you 
have continued to divide Kenyans along ethnic lines to win political 
office. You have bribed; intimidated, incited; (and) manipulated." 
Referring to Parliament, the Forum stated that "you have increased 
your salaries and allowances and refused to pay taxes like the rest 
of the people."  The Forum praised the media for exposing corruption 
scandals and airing the views of the people.  The Forum, however, 
also called attention to unscrupulous elements of the media which 
thrive on sensationalism.  "Stop sacrificing ethical and 
professional standards on the altar of increasing your profit 
margins," the Forum said. The statement warned President Kibaki and 
Prime Minister Odinga that religious leaders are concerned with the 
way they are leading the country. Kenyans, the Forum statement 
declared, "are discouraged, ashamed, disillusioned, and angry." The 
Forum told Kibaki and Odinga that they have made "little or no 
effort towards healing and reconciliation."  There has been no 
effort to unite Kenyans of different ethnic backgrounds, they 
stated. They castigated Kibaki and Odinga for failing to fight 
corruption and for lack of action against extra-judicial killings, 
among other issues. The Forum called on the two leaders to "take 
responsibility" to follow through on the commitments they made when 
signing the coalition agreement. 
 
¶4. On April 6 the Anglican Archbishop and the Catholic Cardinal 
expressed serious concerns about divisions within the coalition 
government, and urged the two to work together to carry out reforms 
for the good of all Kenyans.  Collapse of the coalition government, 
they warned, would be disastrous for the country. The two religious 
leaders also called for Kibaki and Odinga to consult more with the 
youth of the country. 
 
¶5. Comment.  Religious leaders, including Muslim leaders, are 
exerting strong leadership to urge Kibaki and Odinga to follow 
through on their commitments to reform.  They have enormous 
influence with the Kenyan people, and are a positive force in 
rousing the conscience of the nation and mobilizing peaceful 
pressure for implementation of reforms.  We will remain in close 
contact with them. End comment. 
 
RANNEBERGER