Pope Heads To Africa Amid Security Fears With Hope To Reduce Social Tensions

Pope Francis begins his three-nation Africa tour with Kenya after landing in the capital Nairobi little while ago amid security fears. His next stop will be Uganda and the five-day tour to end with Central African Republic where Christian and Muslim groups are in conflict for past two years after the overthrow of Christian president by Muslim rebels.

There’s huge excitement in Kenya around the first Africa visit of Pope Francis. About 30 percent of the Kenyans, including President Uhuru Kenyatta, are baptised Catholics.

Kenya had 9 million Catholic populations in 2010, about a quarter of the total population. During the same period Uganda had 14 million Catholics, about half of its population, and the Central African Republic had Catholic population of about 1.3 million.

Meanwhile, tiny Atheists in Kenya group has said to be challenging the government in court for declaring holiday on Thursday in honor of the Pope. Its leader Harrison Mumia said the Kenyan constitution states there shall be no state religion and so the government must not act religiously.

Vice president at Catholic Relief Services, Bill O’Keefe, said even though Kenya has a significant economic growth but the poor are still facing innumerable challenges and the Church has much to do to minister the spiritual needs, urbanization and social tensions.