This year, the Catholic Diocese of Kitale hosted a Cross-Border Peace Mass that brought together the faithful and communities from Amakuriat Alale of West Pokot County, Moroto of Uganda and Lorenkipi of Turkana. The event aimed to strengthen peace, solidarity and good relations among these neighboring communities.
The event began with a peace procession, during which the Pokot, Karamoja and Turkana communities mingled while singing peace songs and sharing messages highlighting the importance of co-existence, forgiveness and building bonds of solidarity transcending ethnic differences and national borders.
In his homily, Bishop John Mbinda of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar urged the faithful and community members to shun hatred and revenge. He emphasized the importance of fostering friendship, forgiveness and co-operation in seeking solutions to the challenges facing these communities.
Bishop Henry Juma Odonya of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale, who presided over the Mass, encouraged community members to prioritize peace, trust in the Word of God and be ready to welcome and love one another without ethnic discrimination.
Bishop Odonya also emphasized on the importance of education, noting that an educated society is better positioned to raise a generation that values peace, respects diversity and seeks solutions to challenges through dialogue rather than conflict.
Government officials including chiefs and leaders from the Commission for Justice and Peace (CJPD), led by Mr. Edward Shibanda, called upon citizens to maintain peace, especially as the nation approaches next year’s general election. They also urged citizens to register as voters and participate fully in the election, emphasizing the importance of exercising their democratic rights peacefully without fueling ethnic divisions.
Furthermore, parents were encouraged to send their children to school, noting that education plays a vital role in addressing the root causes of hostility and conflict within these communities, while also fostering a mindset of peace, tolerance and cooperation among the youth.
These cross-border Peace Masses are organized annually in various border areas including Chesegon, Kainuk, Kapsait, Kapedo and Lorenkipi as part of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (KCCB) efforts to strengthen peace, solidarity and good relations among communities living in the neighboring Catholic dioceses of the North Rift region.
