Kenyan churches blame gov't for blasts at rally
By TOM ODULA and TOM MALITI (AP) – 22 hours ago
NAIROBI, Kenya — The National Council of Churches accused Kenya's government on Monday of involvement in a grenade attack on a rally against a draft constitution that would allow abortions in life-threatening pregnancies and recognize Islamic courts.
The accusation over Sunday evening's attack, which killed six people, could set a contentious tone between the groups supporting and opposing the draft constitution, which the country votes on Aug. 4. Political analysts said leaders of the groups needed to tamp down emotions or violence could flare.
The August referendum will be the first nationwide vote since Kenya's 2007 presidential election, which saw more than 1,000 people killed following days of rampaging violence after the contentious vote.
Political leaders on Monday tried to separate the blasts, which the police said were caused by grenades, from the political issues around the referendum. Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the attack was an "isolated case." But the National Council of Churches blamed the attack on the government and supporters of the draft constitution.
"Having been informed over and over that the passage of the new constitution during the referendum is a government project, we are left in no doubt that the government, either directly or indirectly, had a hand in this attack. Who else in this country holds explosive devices?" said a statement by the council and 14 other churches and groups.
President Mwai Kibaki said in a statement that Kenyans need to "embrace tolerance and accommodation, regardless of each other's views." The government appealed for calm and to avoid speculation on the attacks.
Kenya's president and prime minister support the new constitution, and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged Kenyans to embrace constitutional reform during a speech here last week. But prominent politicians and Kenya's church leaders want the draft defeated because of allowances for abortion and Islamic courts that deal with family matters, issues opposed by conservative U.S. groups.
(Possibly Obama and crew want to surpass Hitler and Stalin in amount of people killed in their tenure eg:Abortions worldwide)
