Pope Francis made an
impassioned plea for social justice and environmental protection
as the means to combat the poverty that is a breeding ground for
extremism at the start of his first Africa tour in Nairobi on
Wednesday.
"Violence, conflict and terrorism...are fuelled by fear and
desperation...born of poverty and frustration," he said in a
speech at State House, the official residence of President Uhuru
Kenyatta.
The Kenyan chief is a Catholic along with 30% of the
country's 45 million people.
He said the "struggle against these enemies of peace and
prosperity must be carried forward by men and women who
fearlessly believe in the great political and spiritual values
that inspired the birth" of Kenya.
Lawmakers must promote sustainable development, he added.
Deeply rooted African values of protecting nature for
future generations "must inspire leaders to promote responsible
models of economic development in a world that continues to
exploit rather than protect our common home" said Francis, who
planted an olive tree prior to his speech.
Earlier in the day, Francis was welcomed to Nairobi with
traditional dances, colorful costumes, joyful songs, and an
official ceremony that included hymns, military honors, and a
21-gun salute.
On Thursday, Francis is slated to visit the United Nations
offices in Nairobi, where he is expected to call on the
international community to act on refugees and climate change.
He is also set to visit Nairobi's Kangemi slum and to
attend a youth meeting at the city's stadium in the Kasarani
district.
The pope's November 25-30 Africa mission includes Kenya and
Uganda, both victims of Islamist extremist terrorism, and the
Central African Republic (CAR), which is being torn apart by
factional strife between Muslims and Christians.
The journey is going forward despite heightened fears for
security in the wake of the November 13 Islamic terror attacks
in Paris.
Francis is slated to travel to Uganda on Friday afternoon,
and then to the CAR city of Bangui on Sunday morning. The
pontiff departs from Bangui for Rome on Monday afternoon.
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