President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday, September 25, met with pastors at State House where he engaged them on a number of issues.
The Head of State urged the religious leaders to openly condemn ills that were slowing down Kenya's development agenda.
"Speak boldly against all the vices that are holding our nation back. Our job for building this nation is a shared responsibility; we are serving the same people. We deliver on the physical wellness of all the citizens, as you nourish their souls and spirit," he stated.
Appreciating that the leadership of the church had played a role in the fight against corruption, Kenyatta noted that there was still room for more action from the body.
Addressing politics, the president advised religious leaders who led by Archbishop Anthony Muheria, the Chairperson of the Interfaith Council on Covid-19, to continue feeding Kenyans with messages of hope even as they ask them to remain non-partisan.
"I know the church remains above politics. But we all have a duty to help our people to know that we cannot be a nation whose sole obsession is politics, all year, every year, year in year out.
"I call upon the church to be the voice of reason and to foster messages of hope for the wellness of the Nation. We need you as our religious leaders to be non-partisan, and persons who help heal divides," the president stated.
Kenyatta explained that it was only through the active participation of all Kenyans that the country would be able to overcome challenges such as corruption that are a hindrance to the country's development.
He further urged the religious leaders to shepherd Kenyans in building bridges of unity between brothers and sisters, within families and communities as he called on for more support to achieve his agenda for the country.
In turn, the leaders presented proposals on how to address some of the challenges facing the country such as youth unemployment, drug abuse and gender-based violence.
At the same meeting, the Head of State and the religious leaders agreed to host national prayers on Saturday, 10th October 2020, to among other national issues, pray for the country's battle with Covid-19.
Earlier in August 2020, the containment measures put in place for churches due to the Covid-19 pandemic were reviewed, with the council announcing that the worship time had been increased from an hour to 90 minutes and the age limit revised to those aged between six and 65 years.
The limit on the number of worshippers was also revised, with the council stating that it would be determined by space available and observance of 1.5 metres of distancing.
