Church in the World

Bishops take firm line with Kibaki

Kenya

Kenya's bishops have called for an investigation into claims of malpractice in the country's recent disputed elections in a strongly worded statement that was apparently strengthened under pressure from the religious community.

The original document, sent on 2 January, expressed "deep sorrow and concern at the outbreak of violence and the breakdown of law and order", and appealed to Kenyans to pray and "to refrain from violence and from the senseless killing of our brothers and sisters".

Hours later the Catholic Information Service Africa (CISA) sent out a revised version that contained five more paragraphs and was prefaced with an apology for having sent out "a mutilated copy" of the bishops' letter. "One full page was missing! Our only excuse is that this is an emergency service. Our journalists, who went home for Christmas and voting, are still  stranded in their home areas."

In the added paragraphs the bishops call for restraint among the security forces, dialogue and "independent mediation if need be" between the election winner, President Mwai Kibaki (a Catholic) and his opponent, Raila Odinga. The bishops also call for an investigation into claims of electoral malpractice, which, they said, could merit the establishment of an independent commission "to audit and review the tallying of the Parliamentary and Presidential polls".

The call for an independent electoral commission also appeared in a letter dated 1 January from the Religious Superiors Conference of Kenya (RSCK) to the Kenyan Episcopal Conference (KEC). The bishops "have a responsibility to be critically objective", they wrote. Political and religious leaders had "to honestly evaluate their own role during this crisis", they wrote, concluding: "We would recommend that the KEC should advocate the creation of an independent arbitration forum/body."

Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga were due to meet yesterday "to dialogue on the stoppage of violence in the country, consolidation of peace and national reconciliation", according to Mr Kibaki's press service. An Anglican archbishop and the chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims were invited to the meeting and the President of Ghana and African Union chairman John Kufuor was due to attend.

 However, after some days of calm fears of further violence were ignited on Wednesday when Mr Kibaki named a number of ministers, none of whom was from the opposition.

Pope Benedict XVI this week asked Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to address a letter to Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Kenya, "in order to express his unity and solidarity with your Brother Bishops and all your countrymen". "The Pope is close in spirit to all the victims of this violence ... those who are dispossessed or had to abandon their homes, and all who are threatened and living in fear", Cardinal Bertone wrote.

(See Alfons Eppink, page 4.)