President William Ruto delivers his speech during Madaraka Day Celebrations at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi, Bungoma County.
President William Ruto on Saturday, June 1 told politicians to stop whipping up ethnic emotions amid divisions in the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
It is the third time in weeks that the President has spoken against ethnicity in politics, having done the same on Labour Day and during the Prayer Breakfast on Thursday.
Last evening, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki termed the “mobilisation and incitement” of ethnic communities against one another as a “barbaric, cruel and dangerous political misadventure that poses grave danger to our country”.
“Kenya’s ugly past experience with ethnically brewed violence should jolt us, whatever tongue we speak and whichever part of the country we come from, to resist and to name and shame the propagators of ethnic hate and the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ narrative that nearly destroyed Kenya in December and January of 2007 and 2008,” Prof Kindiki posted on X.
“Grateful to President Ruto for reminding us...to eschew ethnic politics as the sure way of shielding ourselves from taking the slippery path of hate that has destroyed many countries. Our common survival, the unity of Kenya and the security of our homeland supersedes any other loyalties we may be tempted to pursue.”
The President’s message was also reinforced in social media posts by top allies, including Majority Leader in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah and Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale
Dr Ruto said he remains committed to the development of the country, irrespective of how people voted in the August 9, 2022 General Election.
“I assure Kenyans that we will never go back to the politics of ethnicity and personalities,” he said in Bungoma County in a speech marking Madaraka Day.
“The 2022 election was defining. It helped clear tribal politics and showed that Kenyan voters make decisions based on issue-based manifestos.”
The warning came on the backdrop of an attempt by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua attempting to rally Mt Kenya region behind him even as he talks of a scheme by individuals close to Dr Ruto to undermine him.
The DP has also revived the one-man, one-vote, one-man one-shilling debate on the sharing of the national cake, claiming Mt Kenya is not getting enough.
It is a stance strongly opposed by those in vast but sparsely populated regions.
It is also on the backdrop of the Limuru III summit that brought together opposition politicians from Mt Kenya, who said Dr Ruto’s administration has not been fair to the region despite overwhelmingly voting him.
The conference was convened by Narc-K leader Martha Karua, Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni and a host of other politicians.
Conveners of the summit were accused of running an agenda that could split the country on ethnic lines.
During the National Prayer Breakfast in Nairobi, the President appeared to differ with Mr Gachagua on the one-man one-vote-one shilling, saying every region deserves to be treated like the rest.
Build bridges
“I speak to you leaders as the father figure of the nation that we work together and build bridges as we have a common destiny. There will be no success of one county as against another. We must pull together and succeed together as a nation,” he said.
Mr Gachagua triggered a storm recently by demanding more resources for Mt Kenya counties, citing the region’s huge population.
“I am a believer, a proponent of one-man-one-vote-one-shilling. Resources are about the people. The more you are, the more taxes you pay. The more taxes you pay, the more you should get,” he said.
Last weekend, the DP claimed there is a plot to undermine him as the most senior political figure in Mt Kenya.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga then told the President that he risks losing the backing of the region if he isolates Mr Gachagua.
Governor Kahiga added that any attempt to undermine the DP would see the region rally behind Mr Gachagua.
Conciliatory tone
During Saturday’s celebrations, the DP struck a conciliatory tone, telling the President he is fully behind him.
“You are the vision carrier of our administration. Those who serve under you remain committed and focused on assisting you transform our country so that Kenyans have a better life,” he said.
In Kirinyaga, Governor Anne Waiguru told Mt Kenya residents to reject the politics of ethnicity. She said the region cannot go it alone and succeed.
“The people of Mt Kenya are in Kisumu, Mombasa, North Eastern and other parts of the country. We cannot live in isolation. We must be part of Kenya if we want to continue benefiting,” the Kirinyaga governor said at Mutitu Youth Polytechnic.
Ms Waiguru appealed to Mt Kenya residents to work with people from other regions.
“We should work with other Kenyans if we want peace and development. We are in the government because we know how to play good politics free of tribalism. Let us be careful and not buy tribal politics from some of our leaders,” she said.
She told locals to ignore leaders dividing them.
“We can’t achieve anything meaningful by working separately from other regions,” the governor said, adding that ethnic politics is retrogressive and should not be entertained.
“Leaders preaching hatred are doing a disservice to Mt Kenya. To thrive, we need other communities. I will not allow our people to be misled into separating from the rest of Kenyans.”
