Azimio principals to skip tomorrow’s National Prayer Breakfast

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition principals will tomorrow not attend the National Prayer Breakfast at the Safari Park Hotel, the party has said.

In a memo to newsrooms, Azimio claims the prayer breakfast “does not offer the environment the country needs for humility before God, honesty with citizens and respect between leaders.”

“As a party, we believe the times require that as a country, we should approach our Creator and the Protector of our nation with honesty and humility and also talk to our people truthfully, frankly, and boldly on the issues facing the nation today,” the memo reads in part.

Also Read: In Ruto’s State House, it's business unusual

The opposition leaders confirmed receipt of the invitation to attend the event but declined to honour it over what they term as “dishonour [to] God and country with display of arrogance, superiority battles, and false hopes to citizens.”

According to the statement, lawmakers from the opposition are, however, at liberty to attend the event which will be the first since President William Ruto took over as Head of State.

Also Read: Raila skips national prayer breakfast

Azimio’s reaction comes amidst a heated debate regarding the Finance Bill 2023, which the opposition has vowed to vote against in totality.

Mr Odinga claimed that the Bill, which includes a proposal for a 3 percent deduction towards a housing fund will overburden Kenyans who are already struggling to put food on the table.

Also Read: Ruto ‘ambush’ surprises Karua at national prayer breakfast

The reaction from Azimio comes as bipartisan talks, which were aimed at ending demonstrations from the opposition, are in limbo.

The Azimio team said that the talks were postponed after the Kenya Kwanza refused to meet their demands.

The National Prayer Breakfast was to be held last week but had to be postponed since the President was out of the country.