Archbishop Muheria: Keep peace whatever verdict Supreme Court gives

Archbishop Anthony Muheria

Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops chairman Anthony Muheria when he addressed the media in Nyeri on August 14, 2022.

Photo credit: JOSEPH KANYI I Nation Media Group

Nyeri Archbishop Anthony Muheria has cautioned political leaders to stop inciting Kenyans to violence and spewing words that may spur hatred in the country. 

He said that leaders should wait for the verdict of the Supreme Court peacefully without calling Kenyans to take any action. 

Speaking on Sunday at Our Lady of Consolata Catholic Church in Nyeri, the archbishop lauded Kenyans for casting their ballot without any incidences and maintaining peace throughout the campaigning period and tallying of votes. 

He also called out leaders who are  inciting Kenyans to violence through the use of inappropriate words. 

"Our leaders have been given a responsibility... but we see them drumming songs of violence yet they are the same people who want to alleviate themselves to get titles in government and lead us to unnecessary skirmishes, " he said. 

He called on Kenyans to maintain peace and reject any calls by politician to violence regardless of the verdict of the Supreme Court noting that should there be violence, they will continue living their lives while the common mwananchi suffers the blunt. 

"You shouldn't be ordered to violence while those ordering you are not participating... because they are only agitating for their own selfish interests and they do not care for the poor and oppressed," he said.

He called on Kenyans to not only maintain peace but also fight for the rights of everyone to be firm and resent any calls to disrupt the peace of the country. 

Archbishop Muheria called on political leaders and pursue peaceful means to achieve whatever they want. 

"Whatever you are looking for is right and just but do not involve us in violence or verbal exchanges that will alter the peace of the country or how we live with one another, " he added. 

Further, he encouraged those that have been disappointed by the outcome of the August 9 elections, to maintain calm and reject calls to cause violence.  

"We cannot allow to set our country on fire because of the interest of one person... and that's is why I call on all political leaders to be careful with their utterances that threaten peace should the outcome not favour them ," he said adding that we should accept the outcome of the ruling by the Supreme Court with calmness. 

He added that the country should forge forward even if people differ in opinions.