President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday challenged politicians to practise what they preach on good governance and transparency.
The President said Kenya would be a very peaceful and progressive country if politicians who talk endlessly about the need for good governance also tried to set a good example themselves.
The President spoke at the University of Nairobi during the launch of the Lenten Campaign 2017 whose theme is Peaceful and Credible Elections: Leaders of Integrity.
The five-week long initiative, organised by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, has assigned five themes for each week.
During the first week, worshippers will focus on the security of the country and during the second week they will fast and pray for the youth of the country.
During the third week, the faithful will focus on the environment and during the fourth week the theme will be why every Kenyan should go out and vote during the August elections. During the fifth week, the theme will be negative ethnicity.
The President promised to act firm and judiciously in the cause of peace and security for all Kenyans.
He said as a citizen, he will practise what he preaches.
“I will hold myself to a high standard of integrity. I pray that God take my hand, and all our millions of hands, to guide us toward a higher destiny in the coming weeks, months and years,” said the President.
He urged all Kenyans to reject hatred and to promote peace and harmony.
The Catholic Bishops and faithful were joined by clerics from other Christian denominations as well as Muslim and Hindu leaders.
John Cardinal Njue led other Catholic leaders in urging Kenyans to shun divisions and guard against those who want to create conflicts.
Archbishop Martin Kivuva urged the youth not to allow themselves to be exploited during the electioneering period.