Blasts at Kenyan Christian prayer rally kill seven

    The church leaders, who have been campaigning for a “No” vote against a
proposed draft constitution, condemned the attack as an affront to the Christian faith, and sent their condolences to the families of those who had died.
    “Having been informed over and over that the passage of the new constitution
is a government project, we are left with no doubt the government, either directly or indirectly, had a hand in this attack. Who else in this country holds explosives?” said Peter Karanja, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya.
    “We therefore hold the government and the “Yes” team responsible for the attack and the blood that was shed, unless they prove to Kenyans that someone else planted and detonated the devices,” said Karanja on June 14.
    The BBC reported on June 14 that, after an emergency security meeting, Prime Minister Raila Odinga had confirmed it had been a grenade attack and said a
top police team was investigating it. Previously, Odinga had said it was an isolated case that should not be linked to the referendum. Christian leaders responded by continuing to accuse those supporting the law of carrying out the attack on them.
    The rally, organized by senior Evangelical and Pentecostal church leaders to pray for the rejection of the draft constitution, had gone peacefully until the explosions took place shortly before the event was due to end.
    “It is very unfortunate this has happened but we stand firm and refuse to be
intimidated,” Bishop David Oginde of the Nairobi Pentecostal Church told
journalists soon after the blast. Thousands of Christians had danced and sung, and were praying when the first of the explosions took place at about 7 p.m. at Uhuru Park in the center of Nairobi.
    “We condemn this attack in the strongest terms. I want to let Kenyans know
Christians have won,” said James Ng’ang’a, the pastor/leader of Neno
Evangelism, a large Pentecostal church.
    The draft constitution will face a referendum on August 4 but the issue has split the country between the majority Christians and minority Muslims. Christian leaders reject the draft because it entrenches Kadhis, as Islamic courts are known. They also say the proposed constitution will legalize abortion and reduce freedom of worship.
    The government says it wants the document accepted but Christian leaders and
some politicians have warned the authorities not to force it on the people.
    “We are being asked to pass this constitution hurriedly but take time and ask yourselves why they are pushing us to speedily pass the new law,” said Bishop Mark Kariuki of the Life Celebration Centre at the rally.
    The leaders are also questioning what they see as U.S. interest in the draft after, they say, American Vice President Joe Biden endorsed the draft.
    “What is it in this new constitution that has attracted Americans until their VP says pass this law and we will give you money for investment,” said Kariuki.