Kenya: Archbishop Desmond Tutu brings message of hope
South African Anglican archbishop, Desmond Tutu has urged Kenyan political leaders to reach each other for dialogue, after the violence of the past few days, sparked off by country's December 27 general elections. Addressing a press conference on Friday, at the end of his two-day reconciliation mission, where he met with both President Mwai Kibaki and his rival, Mr. Raila Odinga, Archbishop Tutu, said he was hopeful that a solution could be reached. He praised the churches in Kenya for their initiatives in peace and reconciliation. Archbishop Tutu, who is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, said: "I leave Nairobi with high hopes that the two leaders will reach each other for the betterment of their country and the entire Kenyan people." Describing his mission as "fruitful", he said: "All in all I stressed to the two leaders that priority must be given to the stoppage of the current violence and this should be carried out, unconditionally. " Archbishop Tutu's mission was organized by the All Africa Conference of Churches, a Pan African Christian church body for Protestant churches in Africa. He was accompanied by South Africa's chairman of the country's electoral commission, Dr Brigalia Bam. The mission also included the AACC general secretary, Bishop Mvume Dandala, a Methodist clergyman from South Africa.