Church leaders in Kenya are urging their new president, Mwai Kibaki, to keep his promises. In particular, they want him to improve the economy, root out corruption, and provide free primary education and affordable health care.
In December 27 elections, Kibaki and his opposition National Rainbow Coalition trounced Daniel arap Moi's ruling Kenya African National Union, which had governed the country since independence in 1963. Moi, 78, stepped down before the vote. According to a constitutional provision introduced in 1992, presidents are limited to two five-year terms. Moi's second term expired last year.
Patrick Rukenya is general secretary of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. He attributed Kibaki's victory to "the hand of the Lord." Still, he said, churches should continue pointing out "mistakes in the country, so that things can move again."
Churches, Muslim groups, and nongovernmental organizations deployed more than 19,000 observers and poll watchers.
In recent years, church leaders in the Christian majority nation have criticized Moi and called for political reforms. Kibaki, a former vice president, said he would implement them. He joined the political opposition a decade ago.
"You have asked me to lead this nation out of the present wilderness and malaise into the Promised Land," Kibaki said. "And I shall do so."
Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere
For more articles on Kenya, see Christianity Today's World Report, AllAfrica.com, or Yahoo full coverage. Also see our Politics and Law archive.
Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.
Our digital archives are a work in progress. Let us know if corrections need to be made.
Annual & Monthly subscriptions available.
- Print & Digital Issues of CT magazine
- Complete access to every article on ChristianityToday.com
- Unlimited access to 65+ years of CT’s online archives
- Member-only special issues
- Learn more
More from this Issue
Read These Next
- TrendingAmerican Christians Should Stand with Israel under AttackWhile we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
- From the MagazineWhat Kind of Man Is This?We’ve got little information on Jesus’ appearance and personality. But that’s the way God designed it.españolFrançais
- Editor's PickIf This Ain’t Country, Expand Your CanonBeyoncé’s right. Whether listening to Cowboy Carter or reading theology, diversity is a good thing.