Pope Francis has arrived in Kenya for a three-nation African tour, his first to the continent as pontiff. Thousands are expected to line the streets of the capital, Nairobi, to welcome him for his three-day stay. An
atheist group says it will challenge in court a government decision to
declare Thursday a holiday in honour of the pontiff, local media report.
A leading Muslim cleric in Kenya welcomed the visit, saying it gave hope to the "downtrodden in the slums". Pope Francis is also due to visit Uganda and Central African Republic, which has been hit by Christian-Muslim conflict.
"I go with joy to meet Kenyans, Ugandans and our brothers in Central Africa," he told journalists on his plane, the AFP news agency reports. He played down fears for his safety by joking: "I'm more worried about the mosquitoes."
Kenya's government has said that up to 10,000 police officers may be deployed during the visit.
Militant Islamists have carried out a spate of attacks in Kenya - including the 2013 siege at Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre, which left at least 67 dead, and the killing of about 150 people during an assault on the Garissa National University College in April this year.
The BBC's Joseph Odhiambo in Nairobi says about 30% of Kenyans - including President Uhuru Kenyatta - are baptised Catholics, and there is huge excitement around the visit.
