PRAYING FOR KENYA’S 2013 UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTIONS – the Responsibility of the Kenyan Church.
“With our next General elections coming up on March 4, 2013 the big question is, will history repeat itself? Are Kenyans going to see another breakout of post election violence, an eruption of tribal clashes? Are we going to see more bloodshed, more innocent lives lost and more families displaced???” ‘What can the Kenyan Church do?’
Introduction
The year 2013 is very significant for all Kenyans both in the nation of Kenya and those in the Diaspora. It marks our first 50 years as an Independent Republic from the British colonial rule since 1963. The year is therefore marked with celebrations and is being referred to as the year of JUBILEE. Furthermore, 2013 will go down in history as the first year that Kenyans will go to the polls under the new (2010) constitution which means that for the first time Kenyans will not just be voting for the Councilors, Members of Parliament and the President as has been the case in the past 50 years. In this year’s general elections under the new constitution, for the first time Kenyans will be voting for the President, Senators, County Governors, Members of Parliament, Civic Wards and Women County Representatives.
With the advent of the multi-party era in our politics in 1992, as Kenyans we have witnessed ethnic (tribal) clashes, sometimes referred to as ethnic cleansing in our nation. It’s on record that about 1,500 lives were lost in 1991/1992 clashes that occurred in the Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western provinces. An additional 300,000 people were displaced in those clashes. The 1997 elections also witnessed another wave of tribal clashes in the coastal regions of our country. The last 2007-08 post-election violence after the 2007 General elections went down in history as the worst scenario of tribal clashes that has ever occurred in Kenya. Approximately six weeks of violence left over 1000 lives lost and about 600,000 people displaced, many of whom are still suffering to this day.
With our next General elections coming up on March 4, 2013 the big question is, will history repeat itself? Are Kenyans going to see another breakout of post election violence, eruption of tribal clashes? Are we going to see more bloodshed, more innocent lives lost and more families displaced??? What can the Kenyan Church do?
According to a report by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) published in November 2012, there are predictions that Kenya is heading to the worst post election violence in her history. See the following Report.
Monday November 5, 2012 – According to US intelligence report released on Monday, Kenya is heading to the worst post election violence in its history.
In the report, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are warning that the 2013 elections will ignite violence that will render the worst bloodshed in Kenya’s history.
In other words, the report is warning that Kenya will experience another round of violence relating to the elections regardless of who wins the elections.
”Regional military intervention will be needed,” the report said.
In the month of August, over 110 people were killed in a spate of violence in Tana River Delta. The killings and displacement sends early warning that Kenyans are sitting on a timed bomb that can explode anytime.
The Tana Delta violence raised fears that politicians may be exploiting tribal rivalries before elections.
The report says the US government is watching keenly on the unfolding scenarios before and after the hotly contested upcoming general election.
Tagged : Central Intelligence Agency, 2013 Election
We can dismiss the report by the CIA but it does get any believer to think twice about our beloved country Kenya. I take time to write this article because in addition to the CIA report I have also heard two highly respected servants of God share that they have seen danger hovering over Kenya in the spirit realm. Please do not be quick to dismiss that these are prophets of doom. These are individual who love Kenya and have been praying for our nation and they confirm that there are demons of bloodshed that are seeking for an opportunity to once again shed more blood in Kenya and unless Kenyans seriously pray we could experience the worst blood shed EVER after the 2013’s General elections. That happens to be in agreement with the CIA report.
2013 Elections – What can the Believers do?
While the CIA does not give us any hope whatsoever…God through his Word and his Servants is waking us up so that we can pray and avert or thwart the plans of the enemy to shed more blood in our Nation. Let me clarify here, the real enemy behind the tribal clashes is the devil and his demons of bloodshed and tribalism. People who participate in this are only vessels that have allowed themselves to be used by the real enemy behind the scenes. That is why this article is addressed to the Church in Kenya and Kenyans living in the Diaspora because the Church has weapons of power that can prevail against the forces of darkness (2 Cor.10:3-6). Believers of Jesus Christ are called to be the LIGHT and SALT of the world. Salt preserves and that is what we are being called upon at this time to do; preserve our nation. We are called to stand up and take our place in the nation as watchmen (Ezekiel 33:7) and as people who pray that our prayers will arise as incense (Revelation 8:4) before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy for our Nation of Kenya to help in time of need (Heb 4:16), even at this critical time.
One might ask but how do we then pray for Kenya at this time? In the book Genesis 18:16-33 we read of a classical example of a man standing in the gap for a ‘nation’. Abraham was asking God if there were 50 righteous men would He destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and God said He would not. Furthermore God said if there were 40, 30 or even 10 righteous men in Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities would not be destroyed. Unfortunately, even 10 righteous men were not found and the two cities ended up being destroyed by fire, but God delivered Lot and his family before the fire fell. That shows us that God heard Abraham’s intercession. Kenyan believers, we have a role to play in the upcoming 2013 elections and that is, INTERCESSION. If the believers will intercede, God will intervene.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14 the word tells us that ‘if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’ An example of this is seen in the Bible when the people of Nineveh humbled themselves and repented at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah Chap 3); the judgment that had been proclaimed by Jonah was averted.
We the believers are the people who are called by the name of the Lord and the word tells us that we need to HUMBLE ourselves before God, remember He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). We then need to PRAY and SEEK God’s face on behalf of our nation. He has promised that we shall find him if we seek Him with all our hearts (Jer. 19:13 and Deut 4:19). We need to REPENT and TURN from our wicked ways. As Kenyans we especially need to repent of the sin of tribalism and tribal prejudices which is what the devil has used in the past tribal clashes and ethnic cleansing that we have experienced in Kenya. Let us repent on our own behalf as individuals, on behalf of the church in Kenya and on behalf of the nation as a whole. We need to ask the Lord to search us and see if there are any tribal prejudices and other wicked ways in our own hearts (Psalms 139:23-24). He promises that if we repent of our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
As the church of Jesus Christ, we need to love one another and that means love even those from other tribes. Jesus said that we would be known by our love for one another (John 13:34-35). Let us ask God to sincerely deliver us and deliver our nation from hatred and mistrust that has now become so ingrained among the different tribes in the nation and even in the church. God made different tribes and each tribe has its strengths. We are supposed to be one nation with different strengths from the diversity of the tribes that we have in Kenya. The devil is the one who advocates for tribalism, tribal divisions, hatred and even tribal killings. You see the devil uses the policy of divide and rule. Kenyans we do not have to live with tribal hatred, look at our neighbors in Tanzania they are many different tribes but they live together in peace as brothers (wandugu– Swahili). We need to forsake these wicked ways of tribalism that God may heal our land.
Besides tribalism, we also need to repent of other sins such as corruption and other evils committed in the land. As we repent on behalf of the nation and let us ask God to forgive and show us mercy and spare the Land of Kenya from bloodshed. In the book of Ezekiel 22:30 the bible says “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” God is looking for believers that will stand in the gap on behalf of the nation of Kenya. He is looking for people that will sigh and groan over the sin that is committed in the land as we see in Ezekiel 9:4 ‘The LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.”
Having repented of the evils in the land we then need to take our place of authority over all forces of darkness. Matthew 18: 18 tells us “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ″ We need to bind demons of bloodshed and tribalism in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Let us pray for each of the 47 counties in Kenya that there will be peace both before and after the elections. Let us invite the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, to reign in our nation, that Kenya may experience the peace of God. Let us also pray for the church and church leaders. That the church will be the light of the nation at this time and give direction to Kenyans without partiality.
Let us pray that God will give us godly leaders in the Government; the President, Vice-President, Cabinet Secretaries, Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Senators, the County Governors and all other leaders. Let us pray for the different branches of the government under the new constitution the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary and the local County Governments and their smooth running. It all so new and seems complicated but remember all things are possible with God and to them that believe so let us pray for the wisdom of God in implementing the new structure of governance and the new Government in our nation. We need the wisdom of God on our leaders and above all the peace of God so that this transition will be smooth. Simply put, we need to PRAY!
Take time to pray as an individual and if possible mobilize others to form prayer groups that will pray and fast where possible for our nation at this time of great need. We are the army of the Lord in Kenya and we need at this time to call upon the name of the Lord on behalf of our land. Let us lift up prayers between now and March 4, 2013. Also take time to regularly read Psalm 91 – it’s a Psalm of protection – Read and pray that psalm over your life and your family. The Lord will preserve you and your family from trouble if you dwell in the secret place of the Most High God.
If you are reading this article and you have never really openly acknowledged Jesus as Your Lord and Savior, I would urge you to consider inviting him to your heart. Jesus loves you and He bore your sin on the cross. All you need to do now is receive what He did on your behalf and you shall become a child of God i.e. born of the Spirit. For as many as received Him, He gave them power to become the children of God. (John 1:12)
May the Lord bless you all as you make a decision to stand in the gap and pray for our Nation of Kenya! Stand and be counted before the Master as one that prayed for Kenya!!
Article written by
Dr. Wanjiku Ondachi
A Kenyan believer living in Diaspora
Dr Wanjiku Ondachi and husband pastor Pius Ondachi will be the guest speakers in the Diaspora Radio pragram on Sayare Radio (98.7 fm) and ATG Global Radio in Kenya tomorrow Saturday January 12th at 10.00pm Eastern time.The program hosts are Isaac Kariuki and Rev,Christopher Mutai.
Listen online-http://www.sayarertv.org/radio/
