Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 060 | Wed 16 Jun 2010

KENYA: ISLAMIC COURTS ISSUE STIRS STRIFE

Last Sunday 13 June, six people were killed and some 104 wounded when
grenades were thrown into a massive Christian rally in Nairobi’s Uhuru
Park. The rally was organised by religious leaders who advocate that
Christians vote ‘NO’ in the 4 August referendum on Kenya’s new
constitution. It included evangelism, prayer for the sick and addresses
from several parliamentarians from the ‘NO’ camp. Whilst the rally
officially ended at 6 pm, many believers lingered and continued in
worship and prayer. At around 6.45pm an explosion occurred at the left
rear of the gathering. Assuming it was something harmless, Pastor James
Ng’ang’a, who was leading prayers at the time, called on those present
to gather closer to the platform. However, as bloodied victims of the
explosion were being brought forward, a grenade lobbed in from the
right exploded close to the main dais. This killed some, wounded many
and caused a stampede that resulted in many more injuries.

No security had been provided for the event though church leaders had
requested it. Despite the explosions, police did not attend from the
nearest police station just 2km away until Bishop Margaret Wanjiru
drove there after an hour and requested their assistance. In highly
provocative statements Professor Peter Anyang Nyong’o, Co-convener of
the ‘YES’ campaign Secretariat, and Hussein Khalid, head of Muslims For
Human Rights, insinuated that the ‘NO’ campaign might have bombed
itself to gain sympathy.

The draft constitution includes several divisive issues, one of which
is the entrenchment of Kadhi (Islamic) courts. Kenyan Muslims (8
percent) have long pushed to have Kadhi courts defined in the
Constitution with national rather than just local jurisdiction. This
would give Khadi courts authority equal to the State’s secular courts.
Christians maintain that Kenya’s secularism, equity, tolerance and
religious freedom will then be diminished.

On 24 May a three-judge bench declared the inclusion of Kadhi courts in
the current Constitution illegal and discriminatory, prompting church
leaders to petition for a recall of parliament so amendments could be
made. However, former Law Society of Kenya chairman, Ahmednassir
Abdullahi, charged that the constitutional court had acted outside its
jurisdiction, a claim supported by Kenya’s Attorney-General Amos Wako.
Wako has launched an appeal that he wants heard before the 4 August
referendum. Tensions are running high.

Meanwhile the ‘YES’ campaign is busy wielding ‘hate speech’ laws
against those who dare speak out against the dangers they believe are
posed by the draft constitution. The National Cohesion and Integration
Commission (NCIC) is investigating complaints made against the Higher
Education Minister William Ruto, who is spearheading the ‘NO’ campaign,
and five other Members of Parliament. The NCIC wants them prosecuted
for ‘hate speech’ since they opined that elements of the draft
constitution could trigger bloodshed and evictions (as power is
devolved from the centre to 47 self-governing ethnic counties) and
‘religious warfare’ (due to advancing Islamisation). The ‘YES’ campaign
was greatly bolstered last week by the visit of US Vice President Joe
Biden who publicly supported the ‘YES’ campaign, urging Kenyans to
resist those who would use ‘fear’ as a ‘tool’ to perpetuate division.
He also promised the Kenyan Government more American and foreign
investment if the constitution were passed. No wonder the government
is hungry for a quick, untroubled ‘Yes’. In the midst of this, the
Church stands as a prophetic voice of opposition. Polls taken on 4 June
show the powerful, elitist-led, Muslim-backed ‘YES’ vote clearly in
front. They will be furious if the constitution fails. It is a no-win
situation for the Church.

(An expanded version of this RLPB will be available on Religious
Liberty Monitoring, .)

WE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL:

* grant Kenya’s Church leaders great wisdom, courage and unity as they
seek what is best for their nation.

* use this trial to purify and sanctify his Church in Kenya, forging
spiritual maturity and unity and a God-dependency that expresses
itself in prayerfulness.

* use these difficult and darkening days to lead many Kenyans to Jesus
Christ; may the Church not fear the times, knowing she will shine
like a star, only brighter as darkness descends.

‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Isaiah 55:9 ESV.)

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
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ISLAMIC COURTS ISSUE STIRS STRIFE IN KENYA

Kenyans will vote on a new constitution on 4 August. Several elements
in the proposed constitution are, however, highly controversial and
opposed by the Church which is advocating a ‘NO’ vote. One contentious
issue is the promotion of Kadhi (Islamic) courts. The Church maintains
that if Islamic courts are entrenched in the constitution and given
national jurisdiction, then secularism, equity, tolerance and religious
liberty will be diminished. Last Sunday 13 June grenades were thrown
into a massive Christian prayer rally in Nairobi. Six people were
killed and 104 injured. The ‘YES’ campaign is busy wielding ‘hate
speech’ laws against ‘NO’ advocates who claim the new constitution
could trigger ethnic bloodshed and religious conflict. Please pray for
the Church in Kenya.

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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC
team. Previous bulletins may be viewed at .

* For other articles, information and helpful links see Elizabeth
Kendal’s blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ at
.