• He stressed the need for peaceful campaigns and asked politicians not to incite Kenyans into engaging in lawlessness just because they want to gain political mileage.
• Uhuru called on Kenyans to live together in harmony and shun incitements from individuals out to disrupt the existing peace in the country.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked leaders to conduct themselves in a manner that will allow Kenyans to live in peace regardless of their political affiliation.
At the same time, he called on Kenyans to live together in harmony and shun incitements from individuals out to disrupt the existing peace in the country.
“…and if we have been blessed by God with this nation, it behooves us as individuals who stake claim to this nation as their home to ensure we protect it, to ensure we safeguard it, to ensure that we live with each other in peace.
“I always say that there is no one who applied to be born in any place or of any colour. God is the one who decided where we will be born, He is the one who said we should be in this country. So we must preserve it,” Uhuru said.
The Head of State spoke on Sunday at the Africa Inland Church (AIC) Pipeline in Nairobi County where he officially opened a new tuition block of the AIC Pipeline Academy and later joined worshippers for a church service.
The service was conducted by AIC Presiding Bishop Reverend Abraham Mulwa who also delivered the sermon.
Emphasizing that elections come and go, Uhuru cautioned Kenyans against engaging in activities that will make them to regret later.
The President, who later addressed Pipeline residents who had gathered outside the church to greet him, strongly condemned the violence meted on former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Uasin Gishu County last Friday.
He stressed the need for peaceful campaigns and asked politicians not to incite Kenyans into engaging in lawlessness just because they want to gain political mileage.
"As we are approaching the general election, I urge that we conduct our campaigns in a peaceful manner. No one will vacate this country after the election. We will continue to live here. Let’s conduct mature and peaceful campaigns and not immature politics. Let’s not pit Kenyans against each other because of politics,” he said.
On boda boda riders, the Head of State said the Government is committed to streamlining the sector for the benefit of the riders, their passengers and other road users.
He also took the opportunity to assure residents of the Mukuru kwa Njenga informal settlement that the government is addressing their plight and will soon finish land adjudication that will be followed by issuance of title deeds to end the problems they have been facing.
"We want to finish the ongoing land adjudication and I want it to be done in a fair manner so that those who are the residents here are given title deeds," he said.
Uhuru also asked Kenyans to pray for a speedy conclusion to the Ukraine war, noting that the conflict has caused untold suffering to innocent people worldwide.
“This war has affected the whole world, prices of oil, fertilizer and other essential commodities have gone up. Innocent people have died and property destroyed. So I want you to pray for peace because peace is not just critical for Kenya but also the world."
Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, who also attended the service, urged Kenyans not to blame the Government for the inflation, saying it is a world problem occasioned by the war in Ukraine.
Archbishop Ole Sapit reiterated Uhuru’s call to Kenyans to continue upholding peace in order to overcome any challenges that the country may encounter.
Uhuru was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i (Interior), Prof George Magoha (Education), Prof Margaret Kobia (Public Service), Monica Juma (Energy), Faridah Karoney (Lands), Joe Mucheru (ICT) and Eugene Wamalwa (Defence) among other senior government officials.