Hypocrisy at prayer breakfast as politicians spare insults for rivals

President William Ruto, First Lady Rachel Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during the 22nd National Prayer Breakfast at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. [ File, Standard]

On the podium, they clasp their hands, bow their heads and preach peace, unity and national cohesion.

In the shadows, the same leaders have spent months hurling insults, stoking political intolerance and unleashing chaos against opponents, only to arrive at the national prayer altar dressed as apostles of reconciliation.

The National Prayer breakfast, which has been christened a ‘legacy of unity’ will bring together leaders who have mastered the language of insults, intimidation and political hostility better than the holy hymns, scripture readings and solemn prayers they will be reciting on Thursday.

The event conveners who include President William Ruto, his spouse Rachel Ruto, Speakers of both Houses Moses Wetang’ula (National Assembly) and Amason Kingi (Senate) who are co-patrons and MPs who actively participate by reading scriptures and leading the Parliamentary Choir have been accused of reckless and divisive remarks and sometimes using foul language.

President Ruto has frequently used strong and aggressive language against political opponents, labelling them as fools, brainless and clueless about the country’s development agenda.

Just ten days ago, Ruto, while meeting the clergy from Bungoma County, claimed Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka did not have brains, agenda and intellect to run affairs of the country. He told the clergy, who responded with amusement, that Kalonzo has been in government for over 50 years and failed to tarmac the road leading to his Tseikuru home.

“Tuko na viongozi ambao akili yao haitoshani, and that is why Kenya imekwama siku mingi. Hata nilimuuliza siku ingine wewe unaongea maneno mingi hapa umekuwa uongozi 50 years umekuwa waziri ya kila kitu. Ulikuwa education, ulikuwa foreign affairs, ulikuwa health, ulikuwa trade, ulikuwa nini ulikuwa nini? Barabara ya kwenda kwako vumbi ndio hiyo.

He added: “Mtu hana akili ya kupanga barabara ya kwenda kwake. Atapata wapi akili ya kupanga barabara ya kuja kwako? Atatoa wapi?,” he said.

The remarks may loosely be translated to mean: “We have leaders who have no brains and that is why the country has been stuck for many year, I asked him the other day what he did to the country since he has been in leadership for over 50 years, he has been a Minister of everything, from education, foreign affairs, health and trade but you failed to tarmac a road leading to your home, and I also want a person with brains to lead this nation not a brainless person who while fail us all.”

Three month ago, Ruto went on a tirade against Jubilee deputy party leader Fred Matiang’i, accusing him of ‘eating too much’ and spoiling the air during political gatherings while he accused Eugene Wamalwa of ‘renting a wife.’ Remarks that critics termed un-presidential.

Ruto’s administration has also been accused of weaponising State agencies such as the police to attack rivals, where in some instances, police have stormed churches and lobbed teargas to women and children disrupting the church services all in the name of attacking anti-establishment leaders.

Incidents such as the Witima church attack in Othaya, PCEA Mwiki attacks where police and goons disrupted church service are fresh in Christians minds and yet no one has been arrested or prosecuted.

Wetang’ula and Kingi who will today be marketing themselves as guardians of unity. have also been involved in ethnic rhetoric and divisive remarks that pundits believe are a recipe for chaos. Earlier this week, Kingi at a title deed issuance event in Mombasa, which was presided over by the President claimed Coast residents were squatters because Mzee Jomo Kenyatta settled his community in White Highlands.

“In 1963, after Kenya got its independence, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta started post-independence land redistribution but he left the Coast region out. He took one million acres in the White highlands. When he acquired a loan from Britain and the World Bank to buy land to settle Kenyans, he only settled one community only and that is why they don’t have squatters in the region. The historical land injustice is only being addressed by President Ruto,” Kingi said.

Kingi, while referring to the opposition as empty debes, assured Ruto that he among other leaders from the region, would rally their people to vote for him next year.

Wetang’ula while attending a burial in Nyandarua, bragged how he acquires appointment letters for police and teachers, a constitutional violation, since the appointment is a preserve of the National Police Service (NPS) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro a choir master at the prayers breakfast, in April, told Gusii residents to forget development if they did not support his re-election bid.

He urged the electorate to make what he described as a clear and deliberate choice between politics and development, framing support for the national government as key to accessing infrastructure.

“You must decide, do you want development or politics? If you are told to stop following President Ruto, then also stop asking for roads. You cannot have both,” Osoro told the crowd. You cannot reject leadership and at the same time expect development from the same government. Choose one path,” Osoro said.

However, Bosco Mutegi, a political analyst, noted that Kenyans, regardless of their political affiliation, had the right to development.

Communication and Partnership Manager at Emerging Leaders’ Foundation, Edward Kipkalya, said there was a need for prayers to change from vague, comfortable platitudes to concrete, severe objectives.

“It is spiritual schizophrenia to pray for the Republic, while at the same time creating instability in the Republic by damaging public trust. Prayer under the altar should be for the leaders to have the fortitude to subordinate their personal ambitions for the fragile stability of the Republic,” he noted.

He observed that leaders should be empathetic towards those suffering from economic stress, saying they lose moral authority when they create policies that stretch the limits of household survival. “Prayer must be expressed on behalf of the worried single parent who is unable to pay school fees and the business owner being crushed by compliant business regulations/policies. There is no greater danger to Kenya than the creeping despair of a citizenry that has lost faith in their institutions to provide justice.,” he added.