President Ruto urges an end to political intolerance » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 1 – President William Ruto has rallied for political restraint, unity, and patriotism, warning against the rising levels of hostility and disorder in the country’s political discourse.
During the burial of Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, Ruto decried the increasing lack of decorum in public engagements, particularly at funerals, where political confrontations have become more frequent and disruptive.
The President lamented what he described as the lowest point in the country’s history, referring to a recent funeral where political factions turned the solemn occasion into a battleground.
“You come to a funeral — a solemn occasion meant to honor the departed and support the grieving family — only for it to be disrupted by unnecessary conflict. We have witnessed incidents where one person has died, but we end up with multiple crises due to political brawls. It is disgraceful,” Ruto remarked.
President Ruto expressed deep concern over the growing culture of political intolerance, urging both religious and political leaders to take responsibility for shaping a more respectful and cohesive society.
He emphasized that Kenya must resist the ‘everything goes’ mentality, cautioning that such recklessness would eventually harm the entire nation.
“We may think that it will only affect others, but sooner or later, it will catch up with us as a nation unless we stand up against it,” Ruto warned.
He called on leaders across all sectors to exercise maturity and measured speech, reminding them that disagreements on policies and programs are natural but should never jeopardize Kenya’s collective destiny.
Ruto reiterated that Kenya’s success or failure affects all citizens equally, regardless of their political, ethnic, or ideological affiliations.
“It does not matter who you are or what you believe in; we share this country, and we share a common destiny. If Kenya succeeds, we all succeed. If Kenya fails, none of us will succeed,” he stated.
The President urged leaders to embrace dialogue and common ground, stressing that while divergent opinions on governance are inevitable, they should not translate into hostility.
“I want to persuade all of us as leaders that amidst all these disagreements, we can still find common ground on important matters that serve Kenya’s interests. We can work together to build our nation, even as we hold different views on various issues,” he noted.
Echoing the sentiments, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula called for unity among leaders, urging them to focus on solutions rather than engaging in blame games when addressing the country’s challenges.
Wetang’ula emphasized the importance of collective problem-solving, stating that leaders should seek solutions instead of pointing fingers.
“Our country will not have other people from outside to help us build our unity and our development. It is ourselves. Therefore, I implore the honorable members of Parliament, because you are the ones with the platform to speak at all times, let’s speak in a language that brings Kenyans together,” he said.
He also encouraged religious leaders to uphold the sanctity of the church as a place of guidance and refrain from political involvement.
“When there is a problem, the answer is to look for a solution, not to blame others, because after the blame, the problem will not go. Challenges will always be there,” he said.
His remarks came as National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah once again criticized religious leaders for what he termed as unnecessary involvement in political affairs.
Ichung’wah expressed concern that some members of the clergy have abandoned their spiritual roles and instead taken on “political activism.”
He specifically took issue with recent demands by faith-based health institutions for the government to settle debts owed to them by the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“We now hope and pray that the church will focus on justice to ensure brethren go to heaven, which is their purpose, and leave politics to politicians,” the National Assembly Majority Leader said.