Poverty and frustration violence and terrorism, Pope Francis said Wednesday in the Kenyan capital Nairobi at the start of his six-day visit to Africa aimed at bringing a message of peace and reconciliation to the strife-wracked region.
"Experience teaches us that violence, conflict and terrorism are fuelled by fear, mistrust and desperation arising from poverty and frustration," Francis told Kenyan diplomats and officials.
"As long as there are ethnic, religious or economic divisions in our societies, all men and women of good will must work for reconciliation and peace, for forgiveness and the healing of hearts," the pontiff said.
Lawmakers must promote sustainable development and behave ethically and transparently to foster solidarity among all sections of society, Francis stated.
"The promotion and protection of these great values are especially entrusted to you, who lead the political, cultural and economic life of your country," he said.
Francis was greeted by Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and Nairobi's governor Evans Kidero amid singing by traditional dance groups when he arrived at Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi for the first leg of his trip which will also take in Uganda and the volatile Central African Republic (CAR).
During his visit, overshadowed by security fears following the recent terrorist attacks in France and Mali, Francis is expected to challenge the countries' political leaders on the issue of corruption.
Transparency International ranked Kenya 145 out of 174 countries in its 2014 corruption perception index, while critics of Ugandan president Yoweri Musevni, said official graft thrived under his three-decade rule.
