Pope Francis to hold talks with Uhuru during maiden visit

Pope Francis waves to faithful upon his arrival on St. Peter's square at the Vatican to lead his weekly general audience on September 16, 2015. AFP PHOTO | VINCENZO PINTO 

In Summary

• According to a detailed itinerary released by State House on Friday, the Pope will also meet leaders from all the religious faiths as he seeks to advance his global bid of fostering religious tolerance during his November 25 to 27 visit.
• A number of youth leaders will be selected to have a meeting with him during the three-day visit billed as a timely endorsement to the country that has suffered deadly terrorist attacks by Al- Shabaab over the last one year.

By JEREMIAH KIPLANG'AT

Pope Francis will address the nation in addition to holding bilateral talks during his maiden visit to Kenya in November.

According to a detailed itinerary released by State House on Friday, the Pope will also meet leaders from all the religious faiths as he seeks to advance his global bid of fostering religious tolerance during his November 25 to 27 visit.

A number of youth leaders will be selected to have a meeting with him during the three-day visit billed as a timely endorsement to the country that has suffered deadly terrorist attacks by Al- Shabaab over the last one year.

The Pope was among the world leaders who condemned the Garissa University College terror attack in April.

“During his 3-day state visit, the Holy Father will hold bilateral discussions with President Kenyatta and his government, before meeting senior officials at the United Nations Environmental Programme (Unep) and addressing members of the diplomatic corps,” said the statement sent by State House Spokesman Mr Manoah Esipisu.

Venues for the serries of meetings were not given with Mr Esipisu saying the Catholic Church will provide more details later.

Pope Francis is the 266th holder of the revered and topmost religious office in the Catholic Church. He will be second Pope to come to Kenya after John Paul II visit in 1995.

During his visit he will seek to bring together leaders from different faiths as has been the norm in the continents has has visited so far.

“In keeping with the theme of tolerance and inclusivity, the Holy Father’s itinerary will include an interreligious meeting with Christian, Muslim, Hindu and traditional leaders. Pope Francis will also give a general address to Kenyans, meet with a number of youth, and celebrate Mass,” added Mr Esipisu.

This is the first time the Pope will be coming to Africa and State House on Friday said Kenya was honoured to be the first country he will be visiting on the continent.

“Kenya is deeply honoured to be the country where His Holiness makes his first landing on the continent. As a nation, Kenya thanks God for the opportunity to host a man who is the spiritual leader of a billion Catholics, and an inspiration to billions of others right across the world,” said Mr Esipisu.

The visit follows the high-profile one by US President Barack Obama in July who came to the country for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit but used the occasion to address the nation in addition to holding bilateral talks with his Kenyan counterpart.

The meeting was dubbed a massive endorsement to the country as it came under three months after the Garissa attack that led to the brutal massacre of 148 people, 142 of them students.
Italy Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has also been to the country after the attack.

Further, Kenya is also hosting the World Trade Organisation meeting in December and Foreign affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed told senators on Thursday that Kenya was fully prepared for it.

Nairobi will also host the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) to be held in Africa later in the year.