Catholic Bishop calls for justice ahead of International Peace Day

Bishop Simon Kamomoe, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, has called for justice so that peace can prevail.

The call came ahead of the International Day of Peace, marked on Sunday.

Speaking after attending Mass at Assumption of Our Lady Umoja Parish in Nairobi, Kamomoe said a lack of social justice is the cause of many upheavals, including youth protests in Kenya and wars around the world.

He said it is unfortunate that many people across the globe, including in Sudan, Congo, Gaza, Palestine, and Ukraine, are suffering due to wars.

“This is as a result of being deprived, as a result of social injustice. And that is a lack of respect for human life and human dignity. As we celebrate this World Day of Peace, we truly value peace because we know Jesus Christ was born as a Prince of Peace,” he said.

According to him, the Catholic Church has the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC), a ministry of the Church dedicated to promoting social justice and peace according to Catholic social teachings.

Members of the CJPC, together with the International Justice Mission (IJM) and church members, had a peaceful walk in the Umoja area in the morning, sensitising residents on the rights of citizens, including when arrested.

The walk is an annual exercise conducted ahead of International Peace Day.

Bishop Kamomoe said this peace, however, cannot prevail without justice, calling for an end to the injustices happening in Kenya and around the world.

“We have to reflect on all the parameters and dimensions pertaining to justice. Justice is, first of all, acknowledging that we are all human beings in the world, and those who will be born even after us were created in the image and likeness of God,” the bishop said.

He added: “So, they need to enjoy that dignity and that fullness of life. And for us, even in our country, Kenya, we still experience a lot of social injustices, especially because of corruption. When there is corruption, people are corrupted in their minds and think only about themselves and not about others, and that denies others their rights.”

The bishop said a lack of justice has seen Kenyans denied basic needs like good health, instead of using the God-given resources to take care of the well-being of fellow Kenyans and humanity.

“In Kenya, we are supposed to ensure that every human person in this country is experiencing the rights of a human person as God created them,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by former Cabinet Minister and Marakwet East MP Linah Jebii Kilimo, who asked Kenyans in their individual capacities to promote peace.

“As per the theme of this year, ‘Act Now for a Peaceful World’, don’t wait for tomorrow because tomorrow might never come. I have seen in my area, the once banditry-prone Tot area in Elgeyo Marakwet County, that if you delay, you will find things have gone wrong,” Kilimo said.

She argued that peace starts with oneself and within the family.

“We know that our country is currently battling Gender-Based Violence (GBV); it is all because we do not have peace in our environment,” she said.

The former MP said that as Christians, who are the majority in the country, Kenyans must make a deliberate decision to be ambassadors of Christ’s peace so that Kenya becomes a good example in peace matters to its neighbours.