President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday said that being a Jubilee Party supporter would not stop him from uniting Kenyans.
Explaining his relationship with opposition leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka, Uhuru said that his love for Kenya was as important as that of Jubilee.
"I know that I am a child of Jubilee. I am happy with my party and I am proud of my party. And I also said that I am also a Kenyan and beyond my party, I am proud of my country and the people of the Republic of Kenya " Uhuru said.
He added; "And it is important that we do all we can to ensure that we have united all our communities. There is no party in Kenya that does love peace, development and unity. And there is no single person who can say that they can carry the entire country on their shoulders."
His comments come at a time when the ruling Jubilee Party has disintegrated with one camp supporting his deputy William Ruto and another opposed to the DP succeeding Uhuru.
There are those who have claimed that Uhuru has abandoned his deputy and the Jubilee party since the handshake with Raila in March 2018 to concentrate on his legacy.
The President, who spoke at the funeral of the former chairman of the defunct OlKejuado County Council Daniel Kasirimo ole Muyaa, said leaders should emulate the late civic leader and several of his peers who stood for the national values of peace and unity.
The President called on leaders to promote peace and unity saying that is the only way Kenya can achieve its development objectives.
He said ole Muyaa's contribution to national cohesion can be seen in the manner in which, as a Maasai community elder and opinion leader, he participated in laying the foundation for Kajiado to become a peaceful and progressive cosmopolitan county.
“Kajiado has never had any ethnic tensions and this is as a result of the leadership of people like ole Muyaa,” Uhuru said.
The President narrated how the late Ole Muyaa mentored and ushered him into elective politics saying the former civic leader was a close family friend.
“I have known him for many years as a friend and political teacher. He loved peace and unity,” the President said as he called on leaders to emulate selfless leaders like Muyaa.
The President reiterated that his cooperation with opposition leaders is underpinned by the understanding that national unity is important for the achievement of the country’s development objectives.
He said growth and progress cannot be achieved when the country is divided.
“Let us unite, have peace, grow our economy, fight poverty and fight unemployment together,” said the President.
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku, Kajiado East MP Peris Tobiko and COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli also spoke at the funeral service attended by thousands of Kenyans.
Kalonzo eulogized the late Ole Muyaa as an astute grassroots politician and leader who stood for national unity, peace and progress throughout his public life.
Governor Lenku and MP Tobiko thanked the President for the development projects being implemented by the national government in Kajiado County including the recently completed Kajiado-Mashuru-Loitoktok road.
