Christians in Kenyan Town Need Police Security When Worshipping
Christians in a Kenyan town need police guards to stand by during their worship service for fear that another violent event will hit them.
In April, the extremist group Al Shabab left almost 150 people dead during an attack at the University of Garissa in Kenya. It is worth noting that most of the victims were Christians. Because of the deadly attack, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta placed a bounty worth $217,000 on the head of the Islamist group's leader Mohamed Kuno, the Youth Independent reports.
Now, the interfaith relations in the Kenyan town of Garissa have somehow improved, but Christians in the area still need police guards on standby while they worship. Security officials, some of them Muslims, are present on nearby grounds when there is a church service, according to an AP report cited by CBS News.
Regional prison commander Omar Tawane told AP that the locals are more sensitive to suspicious activities. They have also considered Al Shabab as a common enemy and are now quick to notify authorities if anything is amiss. Still, threat from the militant groups still lurks around, the report relays.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis is expected to talk about how Christians and Muslims can live harmoniously together amidst the danger that terrorists pose. The pontiff will travel this week to Kenya, Uganda, and the Central African Republic — three places where there is a high incidence of Christian-Muslim violence.
Although Pope Francis will not touch down on Garissa itself, the situation in the town will most likely be a subject in his talk with young people on Friday.
"One of the motives for going to Africa is to bring a message of peace and reconciliation," CBS quotes Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi's statement."These are young people who need to be encouraged, and urged to look forward in a situation where it isn't easy to live out their Christian experience."
Garissa is a Kenyan town located in a region dominated by Muslims. However, 80 percent of the population is made up of Christians.
