Police, clergy pray for troops in Somalia

By Patrick Beja

Senior police officers and pastors at the Coast have held an inter-denominational prayer for Kenyan troops in Somalia and urged Kenyans to keep praying for peace.

Coast Provincial Police Officer Aggrey Adoli and Mountain of Miracles Church International Pastor Gitonga Mugambi urged wananchi to pray for their brothers and sisters fighting in Somalia.

"We should keep congregating all the time to pray for our brothers and sisters in Somalia to be safe and victorious," Adoli said during the rare prayer meeting attended by several pastors from different churches.

The PPO was flanked by Coast Administration Police (AP) commandant Jones Kavoi and other senior police officers from the region at the prayers held in a Mombasa hotel on Sunday evening.

Adoli said the responsibility of the troops to defend the county was given by God and Kenyans should not take it for granted.

"We should pray for God to intercede in this task. We should realise that peace is like a meal that everyone enjoys," Adoli said.

Pastor Mugambi said the battle to protect Kenya against Al Shabaab should be fought both physically and spiritually for it to be won.

"Kenyans should realise that this is not a battle to be fought physically. It also requires us to fight spiritually. We, therefore, pray for our troops in Somalia to be safe and to win this battle," Mugambi said.

Outlawed

He said this was a wake up call for Kenyans to unite against their enemy and also to turn to God for intervention as a nation.

"We should keep praying until something happens," he said.

Mugambi urged Kenyans to be friendlier to the police and help them fight crime. The pastor urged residents to pray for quick resolutions on issues raised by the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council saying the region required peace for tourism to flourish and the economy to grow.

"After the kidnapping of visitors recently in Lamu, the Coast region needs peace and security for prosperity," he said.