Kenyan Church Groups Blame Gov't for Rally Blasts
Leaders of the National Council of Churches of Kenya and 14 other churches and groups have accused Kenya's government of having a hand in the two explosions that killed six people and injured over a hundred during a rally Sunday against the country's proposed constitution.
"Having been informed over and over that the passage of the new constitution during the referendum is a government project, we are left in no doubt that the government, either directly or indirectly, had a hand in this attack," read a statement signed by leaders of the churches and groups.
"We therefore hold the government responsible for the attack and for the blood that was shed unless they prove to Kenyans that someone else planted and detonated the devices," they added.
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On Sunday, two explosions ripped through Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi as a rally against the country's proposed constitution was wrapping up.
According to reports, religious leaders were still on the podium offering prayers when the explosives went off.
"We indeed consider that the attack was a premeditated aggression on democracy; a cowardly act seemingly aimed at scaring Kenyans from expressing their right to oppose the proposed constitution," said the Christian leaders who signed the statement revealed Monday by Bishop David Oginde of Christ is the Answer Ministries in Nairobi.
The leaders vowed to continue mobilizing and educating Kenyans to reject the proposed constitution, which would legalize abortion and also give constitutional recognition to Islamic courts in a country where Muslims account for only about 12 percent of the population and Christians account for over 70 percent.
Another rally, meanwhile, has been scheduled for Thursday at the same location to rally prayers for families of the six who died and the more than 100 who were wounded.
Authorities are offering a reward of half a million shillings for information leading to arrests.
