By Vision Reporters

THE Assistant Bishop of Kampala, the Rev Zac Niringiye, has called for inter-ethnic marriages as a way of promoting unity to avoid conflicts.

"I want to see more of our children crossing the Nile for marriage. The Bahima and the Baganda should marry more Acholi," he said. In his New Year’s sermon at All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero, Niringiye said the ethnic tensions in Kenya recently would have been avoided if there were more cross-cultural unions.

Violence erupted in Kenya on Thursday following a disputed general election. Over 124 people have so far died in the ethnic clashes. The presidential polls pitted the opposition’s Raila Odinga from the Dhaluo tribe against the incumbent, Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu.

"Some of you cry when you hear that your daughter has got a man from a different tribe. That is nonsense. There is nothing wrong with tribes and regions. Unless we get rid of tribalism we are heading nowhere," Niringiye said.

At St. Paul's Cathedral Namirembe, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, His Grace Henry Luke Orombi, prayed for calm to return to Kenya.

"We should thank God that we have reached 2008. There are some families who have lost their beloved ones like our neighbours in Kenya. I would like us to identify with them," he said.

The Kampala Archbishop, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, preaching at Rubaga Cathedral, also prayed for a quick resolution of the conflict in Kenya. He urged Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi to respond to the President's offer for dialogue over the land amendment Bill.

By Cyprian Musoke, Geresom Musamali, Norman Katende and Paul Kiwuuwa.