Anticipating a difficult presidential election season in Kenya, the 2017 General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) passed the following action:

[The General Council] appeals to all churches and ecumenical bodies to take the important role of intercession, and mobilize individual and corporate prayers prior, during and after the election, and practical support (such as election observers and civic education), for the peaceful election process in Kenya.

Those concerns have come to pass, and as a challenging re-run of the annulled August vote looms this week, the WCRC renews its call to join in prayer for a peaceful solution to the political deadlock.

According to the BBC, “Western diplomats have warned of ‘growing insecurity’ in Kenya ahead of Thursday’s presidential election re-run, boycotted by the main opposition. Inflammatory rhetoric and attacks on the election commission made it more difficult to hold a legitimate poll, the 20 envoys said.”

Kenyans have been active in prayer for the election for months, and church leaders continue to advocate for peaceful ways of moving forward, even as tensions mount.

“Church leaders in Kenya are proposing a national dialogue conference to help find ways of the resolving the current political and social crises,” states a news release from the World Council of Churches. “We can better address issues of concern through dialogue rather than through running battles on the street,” said Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit to the WCC.

Regardless of the outcome of the vote on Thursday, church leaders see a challenging path ahead to peace with the need for electoral reform a key component.

Prayer for Peaceful Elections in Kenya

“I leave you peace. My peace I give to you,” Jesus Christ told his apostles. May these words continue to echo in the hearts of all Kenyans throughout the country even in this time of political turmoil.

We pray that the gift of the Holy Spirit will guide them. Give them the wisdom they need to choose their future. Give them God-fearing and peace-loving leaders who will respect and uphold human dignity. Let justice be their shield and defender as they endeavour to live in peace, love and unity.

Please provide all Kenyans with a spirit to forgive and to reconcile with each other for the healing of their nation.

We pray for peace:

• among individuals
• among communities
• among regions
• among political movements
• among faiths and denominations

We pray that all may appreciate and respect each other and that true peace may be achieved in our time.

We ask all this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

(Based on a prayer issued by the Catholic Diocese of Kitui, Kenya)