The Kenyan clergy has appealed to the citizens to use social media to preach peace instead of trolling and attacking leaders.

While addressing congregants during a church service at the All Saints Cathedral, Provost Sammy Wainaina urged Kenyans to avoid trolling and mocking leaders who lost in the recent election because they all deserve honour and respect.

Wainaina said we are losing the nation’s moral fabric by misusing social media.

“All our leaders deserve honour and respect. If we fail as Kenyans to show this, then where are we headed? If we look at social media after the elections, the kind of things we say to our leaders is sad. We are losing a nation's fabric through the misuse of these online platforms. It is my prayers that we shall be graceful in our wins and understand that defeat, especially on elections, isn’t pegged on personalities,” Wainaina said.

While noting that the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga and the outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta have both been on the receiving end of such social media attacks, Wainaina said they should be respected.

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“Elections are at the core of our democracy and losing one doesn’t mean the leaders are failures. We cannot have winners without losers. Mr Odinga requires respect. He is our leader. He may not be the incoming president but he deserves respect. What select Kenyans have been doing and saying towards him on social media is unfortunate and I urge them to stop. When someone has been wounded, don’t hurt him more,” Wainaina said.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta equally remains our leader, even if his candidate lost the elections. He may not have been perfect to some, but he doesn’t serve heckling or insult. Those two leaders require respect and honour”

Wainaina also appealed to Kenyans who will attend President-elect William Ruto’s swearing-in ceremony to show some respect towards Uhuru as he hands over power to Ruto as he retires in peace.

He emphasised that those who lost in the election require love.

"Any small heckling would be distasteful and disastrous to us all. We just want President Kenyatta to be accorded the respect he deserves and to retire in peace. Those who have lost require love," Wainaina said.

Wainaina also urged Ruto to be the president of all and said they will pray for him so that the country can remain united.

“Our prayer for incoming President William Ruto is that he will be a president for all. We shall pray for him so that we shall be United,” he said.