Christian and muslim clergy in the region urged political leaders to prioritise and preach peace and unity at gatherings which take place across the country.
Chairman of Imams and Muslim Preachers in the region Abubakar Bini asked politicians to avoid incitements that may cause tensions ahead of the polls.
“Our political leaders should always know that Kenyan is greater than any one of us and we must have the country progressing even after the elections,” Bini said.
The clerics are using religious forums to sensitise residents on the need to keep peace and unity amid rising political temperatures, Bini said.
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In a separate function, Archbishop Paul Gathuo of the Akorino Church who led a delegation to meet President William Ruto also urged political leaders to desist from politics of abuses, name calling, incitement and violence as the country heads to the next year’s polls.
Gathuo spoke in Eldoret where he meet with other church leaders including Jacob Gitonga and Bishop Isaac Karanja.
They praised efforts by President Ruto and leaders in the North Rift to ensure peace and unity prevail ahead of the elections.
Gathuo said both winners and losers in the next elections would remain Kenyans and there was no need for politicians to behave as if the country would end after the polls.
Gitonga said they were happy with the work being done by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii to unite all communities and residents of the region.
“We have worked well with the governor and other leaders in this region and we believe peace will prevail as we head to the elections,” he said.
Gathuo said political leaders should also desist from using violence during their rallies, saying such actions often cause unnecessary suffering to innocent people.
“At the end of the day Kenyans will elect the kind of leaders they want and all of us should focus on working for peace ahead of the elections," he said.
Bishop Thomas Ruto of the ACK Church also called on leaders to respect each other and avoid utterances that may spark tensions ahead the elections.
“We must all value Kenya as our home and cherish peace and unity in all our activities,” Ruto said.
He said as church leaders they would intensify efforts to sensitise all Kenyans including leaders on the need to keep peace at all times.
ENDS
INSTANT ANALYSIS:
The appeal by religious leaders in the North Rift reflects growing concern over Kenya’s political mood as campaigns for the 2027 General Election slowly gather pace. Their message is especially significant because the North Rift has previously experienced election-related tensions, particularly during disputed polls when political competition inflamed ethnic divisions.
Clergy often step in early when political temperatures begin rising because churches and mosques are among the few institutions with influence across communities and political affiliations. Their warnings against insults, incitement and violence are rooted in Kenya’s painful election history, especially the 2007-08 post-election violence that left more than 1,000 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
The leaders are also highlighting a recurring problem in Kenyan politics: highly charged rallies and personal attacks that deepen mistrust long before voting day. By urging politicians to preach unity now, they are trying to prevent tensions from becoming normalised.
Their intervention suggests peacebuilding efforts are already beginning well ahead of the official campaign season.
