Holy Father Pope Francis while addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, appealed for peace in the world and asked the faithful to join him in prayer for the specific intention and in particular for Kenya, where the tensions are high because of the presidential election that is scheduled to be re-run on October 26, 2017.

As reported by en.radiovaticana.va, Holy Father Pope Francis remarked that “I ask you to join my prayer for peace in the world and I am paying close attention in these days to Kenya, which I visited in 2015 and for which I pray, that the whole country might be able to face the current difficulties in a climate of constructive dialogue, having at heart the search for the common good.”

The tensions in Kenya increased after the country’s Supreme Court declared irregularities and illegalities in the results of the presidential election held on      August 8, 2017. Right monitors say as many as 70 people have been killed in protests since the August vote.