If only half the people in this room, just half, took up the messages that have been given to us in this room then this country would change within a year – Uhuru
NAIROBI, Kenya May 29 – President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday called on all leaders to avoid spewing hate speech and inciting their people and instead work at uniting the country.
Speaking at this year’s National Prayer breakfast at the Safari Park Hotel, the Head of State called on the leaders to ‘walk the talk’ and ensure that they are responsible in their leadership.
“If only half the people in this room, just half, took up the messages that have been given to us in this room then this country would change within a year.”
“Let’s see an end to negative ethnicity; let’s see an end to hate speech… let’s see more of working with communities to change their lives and let us see more of leaders working in partnership, consulting, discussing instead of shouting at each other,” President Kenyatta urged.
Deputy President William Ruto on his part warned that ethnicity would only lead to division among the people.
Ruto asked the Opposition to be responsible leaders and put the interests of the country ahead of their own.
“Those of us in government leadership must govern with fairness and equity and those entrusted with the leadership of Opposition must do so with responsibility knowing very well that we are doing this for our country.”
“Ethnicity and corruption will only lead the country into division and anarchy and when we took up office, we all committed never to take the country back to those days,” the DP said.
On Wednesday, the Jubilee coalition cancelled their planned weekend rally in Kajiado wishing their counterparts in the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) well but urged them not to use it as a platform to incite their supporters.
“We ask the opposition not to use the rally to incite the public. Whether it is Duale, Professor Kindiki, Moses Wetangula or James Orengo… nobody has the right to incite the public along ethnic lines.” Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale urged.
Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki said that they had no problem with CORD welcoming their leader but urged the coalition to maintain peace and desist from dividing the country on ethnic lines.
“We are concerned that perhaps what is happening in the country could lead it to the wrong path.”
“While we appreciate that CORD have a right to welcome their leader, they can sing, pray and dance for him because we are sure that they are happy that their captain is home but at the same time we are telling the people of Kenya that this country requires responsible politics.”
“We cannot be seen to be dividing our country and therefore we have told the IG that we expect his men and women to be vigilant and track down all politicians who might be inciting Kenyans to violence and we hope that we has heard us,” Kindiki warned.
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