As campaigns for the upcoming party primaries and the August 9 general election heats up, the youth have been asked to take the lead in preaching peace and unity.
Rev. Sammy Kemboi Maina, the moderator of the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA), Eastern Presbytery, says in the past elections, politicians have been using the youth to cause violence, a matter he wants to come to an end.
Speaking during the annual Youth Convention at RCEA Kuinet Secondary School, Rev. Kemboi advised the youth not to allow politicians to use them to cause chaos.
The RCEA Eastern Presbytery moderator noted that unity and cohesion was a key component of the country’s development.
“As we head to the general election, we ask that may we remain in unity as a nation. Let us maintain our commonness and unity in all aspects before, during, and after the election,” said Rev. Kemboi.
“Our youths should never be used in any way to instigate chaos or be used as tools to propagate lies,” he added while affirming the need to promote good neighborliness, friendship, and coexistence in our nation.
Over the years, the young generation has been seen as an easy target for politicians out to take advantage of them for personal gains – with most of them jobless or lacking a stable source of income.
There have been concerted efforts from various government and non-governmental organizations to help sensitize the youth on the need to maintain peace.
And with the August 9 drawing near, the RCEA Eastern Presbytery moderator also called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure it prepares to conduct a free and fair election.
“We ask that the body entrusted to the process of election may diligently executive their mandate without fear and favor,” noted Rev. Kemboi.
He also expressed the need for the government to find a way of supporting farmers in food production. There have been concerns over the country’s food security status with the rising cost of farm inputs and fuel.
Recently, the government introduced subsidies on fertilizers, a move that came as a sigh of relief to maize farmers in the North Rift region, the country’s food basket.
“Let us identify ways of encouraging that we have enough food for all, by supporting farmers and those in the food production sector,” the clergy said.
