Kenya (MNN) — Kenya is in an uproar following the recent repeat vote that determined the country’s president. The election results declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner, but not everyone is accepting it as a legitimate win.
Election Win Questionable
Since pulling out of the revote for the election, and as part of a National Resistance Movement, Raila Odinga encouraged his followers to not take part in the re-election voting process. DOOR International’s Rob Myers shares that Odinga’s hope did indeed come true, but not just because his followers boycotted the polls.
Kenya’s current President Uhurua Kenyatta. (Photo courtesy Uhuru Kenyatta via Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/9S9bou)
“Some people simply feared the violence that was taking place in or around some of these polling places,” Myers explains. “There were a lot of police clashes happening with people on the repeat election that happened on October 16th.”
In several areas, the election had to be postponed for days because the violence became so severe. Following this, the commission in charge of the election announced the Kenyatta was again elected by a vote of 7.6 million people.
Resisting Results
However, Odinga Kenyatta, after announcing misinformation about the election results, is still calling for continued resistance. At least two petitions are currently in the court challenging the validity of Thursday’s poll. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the cases in the coming weeks.
“Odinga is now calling for a continuing of the National Resistance Movement that their party is leading,” Myers shares.
“Right now, what he’s calling for specifically are peaceful protests, some forms of picketing, some economic boycotts to happen. But, there is concern that if things continue, violence could escalate in the country.”
The situation in Kenya continues to develop day by day and many people are keeping an eye on it. However, it is possible that if there is an escalation in violence, it could affect ministry operations in the country.
“Some ministry is continuing to happen on the ground, particularly among nationals. People are trying to continue to live their lives, but they also realize that at any moment somebody could make an announcement and violence could erupt, other things could happen,” Myers says.
“Living in the midst of that uncertainty could be very difficult.”
How to Pray
(Image courtesy Wikipedia)
Please, pray for peace and justice in Kenya. Myers also asks for prayers for a truly democratic process to take place in Kenya. Pray for the Kenyan people to work through the government processes that are available to solve political issues rather than resorting to violence. And pray for ministries in the country to be able to continue despite the political unrest.
“It’s very difficult to help people focus on some of their spiritual needs when they feel even physical uncertainty,” Myers shares. “So we’re praying that God brings peace and justice to this situation so that the ministry that’s on the ground can continue.”
Another way to help is to reach out to organizations on the ground in Kenya, like DOOR International, to get updates on their work in Kenya, to financially support, and to ask for other ways to get involved with their ministry.
To get involved with DOOR International, click here!
