A Letter from Bishop Daniel Wandabula re: Bishop's Appeal for Peace and Reconcilliation in the Post Election Crisis in Kenya

To all brothers and sisters in Christ,

I extend the New Year greetings from the East Africa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. I take this opportunity to inform you all that Kenya, a country which has been a cradle of peace in the turbulent Great Lakes region, has been hit by an unexpected outbreak of ethnic violence.

The deteriorating situation in Kenya, following the disputed December 27, 2007 Presidential Elections has claimed the lives of numerous innocent civilians. Official government estimates have conservatively put the death toll at 240 lives. However, independent reports put the number beyond 400, as of January 5, 2008. The clashes have claimed a number of casualties mainly from the Kikuyu, Luo, and other ethnic groups. Overall more than 250,000 people have been displaced from their localities making them homeless.

The 6 districts of the United Methodist Church, in Kenya, namely Nairobi, Nakuru, Naivasha, Busia (Kenya side of the boarder with Uganda), Central Nyanza, and South Nyanza, have not been spared. Many parishioners in our churches have been displaced, some killed, and many have lost property. A group of 30 people who attempted to escape the violence, by boat across a river, drowned and perished.

The United Methodist Church founded schools in Nairobi, Nakuru and Naivasha have been offered to the displaced people for shelter. Our churches have been gravely affected as many families have been displaced. A number of them are seeking refuge at Police Stations, churches, and other religious shelters, especially in the Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa localities. It is our prayer and hope that the violence comes to an end soon. We have noted that on New Year’s Day, at least 50 innocent people, many of them women and children, who had taken refuge in a Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church in Eldoret, were attacked by a mob and burnt to death.

One United Methodist Church in Naivasha District had so far received more than 250 people, especially children and women, in search of safety. Ms. Hendrick Ouma Alois, the Women President, Nairobi District, has been forced to accommodate over fifty people in her home in the rift valley area of Kajiado. The people have been rendered refugees, within their own country!

There is a growing number of people crossing over the national boundaries especially into Uganda and Tanzania. Our parishioners on the Ugandan side have so far received these brothers and sisters with numerous challenges. We have been relieved to learn that UMCOR is considering extending some emergency relief funding to ease the suffering within the temporary settlements here. There is great need for food, safe water, clothing, medicines, blankets, temporary shelter, mosquito nets, and basic household utensils.

We commit prayers to our brothers and sisters who are currently experiencing this stressful and critical situation. We are grateful to God that most of our parishioners, and missionaries, in Kenya have so far been spared. Indeed all churches in the East Africa region dedicated last Sunday January 5, 2008 to prayers for Peace and Reconciliation among the warring factions. As a church we empathize with all the people that have suffered from this injustice, violence, loss of lives/property, and the overall disruption of daily lives.

We pray for the return of peace to Kenya, and a more lasting settlement of the conflict. I appeal to all people of goodwill to contribute towards the settlement of the conflict through prayer, lobbying the parties in conflict, counseling, and material support to the displaced people in the various affected countries of East Africa. All assistance for relief to the affected areas should be directed to GBGM/MCR Offices in New York.

Grace and Peace,
Daniel Wandabula
Resident Bishop
East Africa Episcopal Area
The United Methodist Church