Kenya’s opposition presidential candidate prays at Israel’s Wailing Wall ahead of election
The flag bearer of Kenya’s opposition party, National Super Alliance (NASA),Raila Odinga was on Wednesday was seen praying at Israel’s Wailing Wall, wearing a Kippah and holding a bible, in pictures going viral on social media.
The Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, is the most religious site in the world for the Jewish people. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem and is the western support wall of the Temple Mount. Thousands of people journey to the wall every year to visit and recite prayers. These prayers are either spoken or written down and placed in the cracks of the wall.
“Few know my history with this Holy Site. The Western Wall is the pulpit of the Temple of Solomon and is said to have been built over 5,000 years ago. The site is sacred to all three Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Islam and Christianity – and to me it is a very strong symbolism of strength and unity. The story goes that you write your wish on a piece of paper, stick it on the wall and say a prayer and the message goes directly to God,” said Raila on his Twitter account.
The ODM leader said he began the tradition of writing his wishes while he was in detention, as it is a “miserable place with time mostly spent alone”. Raila was detained for six years without trial over a failed 1982 coup against the then President Daniel Moi. He was charged with treason. Before this he had been on house arrest for seven months.
The Opposition leader travelled to Israel on Sunday, to deliver an address the next day on democratisation, religion and the pursuit of peace in Africa at the Truman Institute.
Kenya’s general elections have been scheduled for August 2017 where the current President Uhuru Kenyatta will also be running for office.
Letter from Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/FRM5NizyhX
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) May 10, 2017
