Catholic bishops have called on Kenyans to be patient and exercise emotional control as they await presidential results.
Under the umbrella of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the clergy asked Kenyans to accord the IEBC time and space needed to dispense its constitutional mandate of delivering credible results.
"Patience is a critical virtue that we must have so as to maintain peace and justice," Bishop Alfred Rotich from the diocese of Kericho said.
The bishops who spoke on Friday at St Therese Vocational Centre in Karen further expressed concern over instances of lawlessness and violence witnessed at different tallying centres across the country.
They cautioned against actions or utterances that may threaten peace and national cohesion and called on parties with grievances to use laid down procedures and structures to address disputes that may emerge during the vote tallying process.
The men of cloth further called on the IEBC commissioners to conduct themselves and execute their roles in utmost good faith.
"We note that a number of presiding and returning officers have been arrested on suspicion of engaging in fraudulent activities. Let every IEBC staff be warned that they will be held individually responsible for any electoral malpractice they engage in," Rotich said.
The bishops appealed to the presidential candidates and their agents to commit to maintain peace and encourage their supporters to be patient.
They cautioned the candidates against speaking or acting in a manner that may provoke their supporters to acts of violence.
