Christian clergymen joined the Muslims for Friday prayers in Nairobi’s Jamia Masjid

In a historic event aimed at strengthening relations between Muslims and Christians, especially in the wake of violent extremism, Christian clergymen from various churches yesterday joined the Muslims for Friday prayers attended by more than 10,000 worshippers,in Nairobi’s Jamia Mosque.

They Christian clergymen were hosted by their Muslim counterparts in a forum that forms part of a larger peace programme.

The programme was organized by the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, a coalition of all major faith communities in Kenya together with the Council of Imams, Jamia Mosque and Preachers of Kenya.

Sheikh Abdullatif Essajee, who delivered the weekly sermon, said the two faiths have more that unites them rather than divide.

“This is a gesture that ‘we all belong to one human race’. We are all the children of Adam and Eve,” he said. “violence should not be perpetuate on the basis of religion or nations,” he added.

Following terror attacks in the recent past that have claimed hundreds of lives, there have been fears that two religions are drifting apart, threatening Kenyan’s unity.

The clerics were led by the Global Peace Foundation executive director Bishop Daniel Omondi. Incidently the event also coincided with the International Day of Peace, annually marked on September 18.

“Our presence here is a clear testimony that no religion teaches hate and violence. We are human under one lord,” Omondi said.

The Christian clerics said they will host Muslim leaders in their churches in the near future.