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KENYA-BISHOPS Mar-5-2008 (320 words) xxxi
Kenyan bishops urge quick implementation of power-sharing agreement
By Francis Njuguna
Catholic News Service
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- Kenya's Catholic bishops have urged the country's political leaders to quickly implement a power-sharing agreement between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
"The Catholic Church entrusts the peace process and reconciliation to God as we continue to pray for the two leaders to uphold the requirements of the agreement signed with a new heart and a new spirit," said a statement issued March 4 by the Kenya Episcopal Conference's justice and peace commission.
The bishops urged the speedy implementation of the Feb. 28 agreement between the government and opposition, which -- once it is passed in a constitutional amendment -- would make Odinga prime minister. Since the Dec. 27 disputed election results, in which both Odinga and Kibaki claimed victory, more than 1,000 people have been killed and 300,000 people have been displaced.
"It is imperative (for) all members of Parliament to work together to ensure that the deal is entrenched in the constitution and that the two principal leaders get the necessary support to actualize the agreement," they said.
The bishops urged religious leaders to promote peace "by preaching peace and ensuring that justice is done through active, nonviolent means."
They urged Kibaki and Odinga to mobilize the political good will of their grass-roots and national supporters to work together to bring about truth, justice, peace and reconciliation.
The bishops called on the young people in the country "to be part of peace-building and development stakeholders at all levels and avoid all sorts of violence to ensure that all killings, burning of houses, looting, displacements (and) threats at all levels cease."
"We call upon the media to continue playing its rightful role in bringing to the fore the various pertinent issues surrounding the peace agreement and sustain the debate on the public domain of building peace," the bishops said.
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Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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