President Ruto must now settle down and serve Kenyans diligently

President-Elect William Ruto at the Deputy President Residence in Karen, Nairobi on August 5th, 2022. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Today marks a new beginning for the country. A fresh start for the government to lead Kenyans to the Promised Land after many false starts. It is not often that people or institutions get a second chance to realign their stars and chart a new course.

The opportunity we have should be cradled passionately and guarded jealously. The new administration has its work cut out.

The oath of office by the president and his deputy are not just words but fervent prayer and promise to the country. It is time for the country's ethos to be reset and this is not going to be a walk in the park.

The elections tested our Kenyanness and shook it to its core. It is time for the new administration to bring us back together to cherish what we have always believed in.

The troubles we face we do as a country. They might be peculiar in some parts of the country but the ripple effect is felt in all corners.

The cost of living is becoming unbearable for many households, millions of young Kenyans are weighed down by unemployment, farmers cannot prepare their lands for the planting season because the cost of farming has become punitive.

And as they despair, millions of Kenyans are on verge of death because of starvation. These are issues the populace is grappling with and the ones the new government will have to provide solutions to fast.

The enormity of this task requires focus and dedication. This is not the time for them versus us or those who voted for versus against.

The country is one, what binds us is stronger than our differences. The surest way to continue digging while in a hole is to focus on sideshows and taking the words of busybodies and charlatans seriously.

Government includes Parliament and the role of oversight of the Legislature is of utmost importance. Vetting of senior government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries, will be done by Parliament.

If the elected men and women choose bribes over Kenyans; if they opt for rewarding friends or party loyalists instead of selecting the best, they will have betrayed the country and the oath they took.

It is not an easy task but we urge the president and his team to stay true to the course and steer the ship to greatness. Get down to work.

The pledges made during the campaigns are in every Kenyan's mind. Do not disappoint.

Women are waiting; the youth are hoping; the disabled anticipating change in their lives. With such impregnable expectations, the least the government can do is to deliver.

As President Uhuru Kenyatta bade the country farewell, he said the chain is unbroken. Let the new government build on what worked and re-engineer what did not. The journey Kenya takes requires dedication and service.