During the last elections in 2007, at least 1300 died and around 600,000 were displaced in post-electoral violence that unfolded along tribal lines and resulted in referrals of cases to the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning several -  but not all – key political protagonists. 

The worst of this violence occurred in Nakuru, where, since 2011, the Christian leaders with whom CSW and CSW-Nigeria are currently affiliated have worked and prayed for reconciliation and healing. So far news from that county has been encouraging.

'Hate leaflets' discovered in Western Kenya

Unfortunately, the picture is not so positive elsewhere. On 22 February, the BBC reported the discovery of  'hate leaflets' in Kisumu in western Kenya (home area of presidential candidate Raila Odinga, (who controversially for some, does not face ICC charges), and in Mombasa, (home to a religiously-based secessionist group). The leaflets incite residents from Odinga's Luo tribe to chase away people from the Kikuyu and Kalenjin tribes, i.e., the tribes of presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto, both of whom face ICC charges.

Police in Kenya are now reporting the arrest in Nairobi of two men in connection with other hate leaflets that have been distributed in Naivasha, Juja, Limuru, Thika and Kisumu and elsewhere in western Kenya.  Some warn of impending violence, while another describes the tribe of a leading presidential candidate as "weeds" and promises to return them to their "original home".

Gunmen kill five men as they pray in a mosque in north Eastern Kenya

In addition, Al Shabaab and its affiliates continue to threaten the country, with violence occurring particularly in north Eastern Kenya. On 21 February, 20 gunmen attacked Maayleey village near the Somali border, killing five men as they prayed in a mosque, and two women as they rushed out to find out the source of the commotion.

The day before, a political aspirant in neighboring Wajir South Constituency was shot and wounded by armed men in an area close to Dadaab refugee camp (the largest camp in the world , which houses Somali refugees). Last Saturday, a suspected suicide bomber died while assembling an improvised explosive device (IED) at a venue in Garissa where a presidential candidate Martha Karua was due to hold a campaign rally. Three weeks earlier, a well known businessman died and his colleague was severely wounded when unknown assailants sprayed their vehicle with bullets.

The continuing violence in the north east and the discovery of the hate leaflets underline the need for fervent prayer for the nation, as hate speech, often was a major catalyst for the 2007 violence. A call has been issued for fasting and prayer for Kenya on 3 and 4 March. 

Even if you are unable to join in the fasting, please remember Kenya in your devotions, praying specifically:
 

• against tribalism and all efforts to foment it
  
• against terrorism
  
• for free and fair elections
  
• that there will be an outright winner of the election
  
• that people will accept the outcome without violence
  
• that unemployed youth will not be manipulated into stirring up or participating in violence
  
• that the people of Kenya will have hope for the future and not despondency