Kenyan leaders today observed the 22nd National Prayer Breakfast amid fear, uncertainty and mistrust.
The event, organized by the National Assembly Speaker with the Head of State as Chief Guest, lacked the upbeat undercurrents of cohesion and optimism felt at similar functions in the past.
Barely forty-eight hours ago Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi was extracted from a coffee plantation, badly beaten up and unable to speak. The Speaker of the National Assembly under whose stewardship Koimburi falls has carefully chosen not to address the matter.
Moses Masika Wetangula chose his words carefully, but fighting for the dignity of his charges did not appear to be one of them. Photo: Wetangula X
Generally, there’s a palpable air of fear hanging around the country with abductions typical of the one-party era making a full comeback.
Voices of dissent are silenced meticulously using subvert torture methods. Teams of hitmen disguised as plainclothes police are unleashed on the populace. Social media activity is closely monitored.
And while all these continue the government is engaged on a forceful PR campaign that presents the economy as improving from what it was under President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.
One of the promises that the current president Dr William Samoei Ruto made during his election campaigns was to reduce the national staple food, maize flour (unga) to retail at KES 100. Although prices of the commodity are not what they were during the previous regime, they are yet to reach the KES 100 mark.
The president in his speech today asked for unity of purpose and support to enable him deliver on his promises.
“We thank God for what He is doing for our country. Our ongoing efforts to rebuild Kenya are steadily becoming evident. Our economy is stable, and our projects and programmes continue to impact the lives of Kenyans. To sustain this momentum, we must work together and build bridges that will make us more equal, more inclusive and more prosperous.”
Meanwhile, mistrust of government and governance has reached a new peak when President Ruto dropped his noisy and tribalist former Deputy Rigathi Gachagua for an academic with a soprano voice and no political charisma. The academic is yet to find a footing in the murky waters of Kenya’s politics. In retribution, Gachagua has gone ballistic with classified expose’s of state corruption.
The Judiciary and the Legislature have been neutralized with public appointments doctored along a certain line to ensure president Ruto’s reelection. Towards this end a number of experts from the opposition have been incorporated in government and within a span of months proved themselves more ravenous than the officials they’ve long held in criticism.
The doyen of Kenya’s opposition politics who is arguably Kenya’s most refined politician, Raila Amollo Odinga has cautioned his Luo community to approach the broadbased government set-up with open eyes. He specifically warned against attacks on his trenches comrade, now Siaya Governor, James Aggrey Bob Orengo who has not relented in his criticism of the Kenya Kwanza regime.
Making reference to today’s event Orengo urged leaders not to hide behind religion while propagating acts of inhuman atrocities.
“On this day when leaders gather for a National Prayer Breakfast we must question how religion can be used to advance political objectives including holding onto power. Religion has its central place and let not Karl Marx be absolved in saying religion is the opium of the people. Bishop Okullu treatise on the Church and the State makes good reading,” the Siaya Governor tweeted.
Kenya is an avowed Christian State despite the abundance of hypocrisy on display at the national stage by purported Christian leaders. Religious intolerance is also rearing it’s ugly head as refugees from Somalia get a chocking hold on Nairobi’s economy.
Three days ago a white missionary and two Kenyans were attacked and badly beaten up by irate Somalis in Eastleigh area of Nairobi: their offence — preaching the unadulterated gospel of the Bible. Since they were members of the universal brotherhood of Jehovah’s witnesses no human being found it appropriate to come to their defense or speak out on their behalf.
President Ruto has lifted strict vetting protocols for Somalis from Northeastern Kenya before issuance of national identity cards. This means that Kenyan Somalis, Somalia Somalis and other clans of Somalis in Djibouti and the neighbouring regions can now vote in the next Kenyan General Elections.
For the majority of Kenyans who are not onboard the gravy train and still look forward to a better motherland the 22nd National Prayer Breakfast was a rather bleak affair.
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