By Peace Muthoka.
A powerful push to place religious freedom at the heart of Africa’s future rang out in Nairobi as the continent’s first International Religious Freedom Summit kicked off. Leaders, faith figures, and rights advocates united to declare one message: peace, prosperity, and progress cannot thrive without freedom of belief.
The three-day summit, hosted by Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome, brings together key voices from across Africa. It is organized by Pepperdine University and the Religious Freedom Institute, and hosted by the Global Peace Foundation.
Throughout the opening session, speakers urged African nations to treat religious freedom not as a luxury but as a foundation for development and peace.
Ambassador Sam Brownback, Co-Chair of the IRF Summit, called out governments that favor one faith over others, warning that such bias fuels division. “No nation can prosper if its people are denied the right to worship freely,” he said.
Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett emphasized that protecting religious freedom boosts human rights and especially uplifts women. She encouraged unity between religious groups, proposing an Abrahamic peace treaty to ease tensions between Christians and Muslims.The summit comes at a time when religious tensions are rising across parts of the continent.
Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu who represented Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome in absentia, warned that persecution, restrictions, and violent extremism are tearing communities apart.
“These are not isolated attacks they threaten the very core of our society,” she said.
She reaffirmed Kenya’s firm legal stand on religious liberty, noting that Article 32 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to belief and worship.
H.E. Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, another Co-Chair, urged African nations to act boldly and urgently. “We must invest in protecting this freedom. It is our collective duty,” she said.
Danny DeWalt of Pepperdine University described the summit as the launchpad for a continent-wide movement against religious persecution.Religious Freedom Institute President David Trimble echoed that call. “
