President Uhuru Kenyatta has advised Kenyans against being misled into ‘politics of money’.
He also hit at leaders who are obsessed with politics, especially in the wake of early campaigns for 2022. Uhuru said at musician Joseph Kamaru’s burial on Thursday that it is wrong for leaders to subject Kenyans to cheap politics.
“I would like to tell Kenyans that they should not be misled into politics of money,” he said. “Let us not be misled. Competitive politics must end. The animosity and hatred during election time should also end.”
Speaking in his Kikuyu dialect, the President, however, did not mention such leaders by name. Uhuru asked Kenyans to unite at all times as they “do not have any other country to run to when things go south”.
“Kenya will never achieve her true position in the world unless we unite. We must bring our respective strengths together and respect one another. Unless we go swim in Lake Victoria or Indian ocean, this remains our country and there’s nowhere we can run to,” the President said.
Uhuru regretted the division among Kenyans in every five-year election cycle.
“It cannot be that every five years, Kenyans have to relocate from their homes because they are afraid,” he said. “We want a Kenya where people vote and go back to their business to wait for the results.”
At the weekend, Uhuru asked leaders to stop politics and instead wait for 2022 general elections. He said politicians should desist from talking about 2022 and instead bring development to Kenyans.
Odinga on his part urged Kenyans to continue supporting the initiative, which he said unlike the notion created by a section of politicians, is not about 2022 succession politics.
“This Canaan we are now going is not only meant for NASA supporters only but also for Jubilee leaders and their supporters and that is why I told my brother Uhuru let us join hands together and unite Kenyans and he agreed. This handshake is not about the 2022 elections. That will come and go but our country will remain forever,” he said.
Deputy President William Ruto lauded the two leaders for setting aside their differences, and agreeing to forge a common agenda for the country after an emotive electioneering period.
“You have united the country beyond the ruling party. Your efforts to reach out to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has seen Kenyans speak one language, that of unity in a bid to reach our country’s development goals,” Ruto acknowledged.