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Politics of the pre-August 2022 presidential election dominated the National Breakfast Prayer, held on Wednesday at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi.
During the Breakfast, President Ruto joked about turning former President Uhuru Kenyatta into an opposition leader.
“I remember the last prayer breakfast here was around the same. I remember asking for forgiveness from my friend, the former president. It is interesting that today we are again discussing the subject of forgiveness and reconciliation,” Ruto said.
The president revisited his rivalry with his former boss, retired president Uhuru Kenyatta.
“It only happens in Kenya that in our last election, the opposition leader became the government candidate, and the sitting deputy president became the opposition candidate,” he said.
“The opposition candidate won the election, and the sitting president then handed over power to his deputy. And went ahead to become the leader of the opposition party. That only happens in Kenya,” Ruto said.
Meanwhile, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said President Ruto’s unprecedented move to forgive his former boss and ‘tormentor’ Uhuru Kenyatta surprised many insiders in the Kenya Kwanza government.
Gachagua said that President Ruto’s actions were contrary to the expectation of many who had thought that he would launch vengeance on those who had opposed his presidential bid.
“Against the expectations of many people who witnessed the persecution that he was subjected to, the harassment and the intimidation had expected him to go hammer and tongs for his tormentors,” Gachagua said.
“He shocked all of us when he insisted that he is a Christian and the Bible has taught him that forgiveness is a calling from God, and he decided to lead this country by giving leadership in forgiveness and matters reconciliation,” the Deputy President added.
First Lady Rachel Ruto asked Kenyans to “carry this message of reconciliation in our hearts and put it into action in our daily lives.”
The Azimio coalition snubbed the event, despite being invited. The opposition principles called the prayer a “display of arrogance”.
“If past events where we have shared platforms with Kenya Kwanza are to serve as a guide, Azimio is convinced that the National Prayer Breakfast does not offer the environment the country needs,” the coalition said.
“Instead, the event will dishonor God and country with a display of arrogance, superiority battles, false hopes to citizens, and vitriolic post-event mischaracterization and misinterpretation of intentions by Kenya Kwanza leaders. We have therefore declined the invitation,” the Azimio statement read.
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