Pope fransic hints at Kenya visit in November(pope fransic kutembelea kenya november)

Pope Francis has expressed his wish to visit Kenya in November during his maiden tour of Africa.

The Pope, who on Friday evening held a two-hour meeting with participants attending the international retreat for priests at Rome’s Papal Basilica of St John Lateran, confirmed he would be visiting Uganda and the war-ravaged Central African Republic, according to the Vatican website.

“Adding Kenya to the journey was possible but not sure because of organisational problems,” he said.

The Catholic Church in Kenya, however, remained tight-lipped about the possibility of his visit, saying that the confirmation can come only from the Vatican.
“Just like you, we are also seeing this information from other sources,” said David Kamau, the Auxiliary Bishop of Nairobi.

“We are yet to receive official communication from the Pope and so we are not in a position to talk about it but we will do so this week.”

The Pope’s visit usually involves high-level security arrangements and other logistics due to large crowds that gather to see him and the threat to his life. The official vehicle of the head of the Catholic church, known as the Popemobile, has for decades traditionally been covered in bullet-proof glass during his tours, but Pope Francis has not been keen to hide behind that shield in order to get close to his flock. 

In April, Pope Francis remembered Kenya during his Easter prayers after Al-Shabaab terrorists killed 148 people, almost all of them students, in an attack at Garissa University College.

“May constant prayer rise up from all people of goodwill for those who lost their lives – I think in particular of the young people who were killed last Thursday (April 2) at Garissa University College in Kenya – for all who have been kidnapped, and for those forced to abandon their homes and their dear ones,” said the 78-year-old, who condemned the persecution of Christians in Africa and the Middle East.

And, in the same month, Kenya’s Catholic bishops visited the Vatican and held talks with Pope Francis. On their return, they conveyed the Pope’s blessings and goodwill message to Kenya. However, they gave no indication of his wish to visit Kenya during the African tour