I'll do whatever it takes to unite Kenya - President Ruto

President William Ruto's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast

President William Ruto has struck a conciliatory tone, promising to do whatever it takes to unite the country and make it succeed.

He spoke on a day when reconciliation and forgiveness dominated this year's national prayer breakfast, which opposition leaders skipped.

Addressing the National Prayer Breakfast on the theme "Reconciliation with God and Men", President Ruto said unity was necessary to promote the welfare, dignity and freedom of the people of Kenya.

“I want to remind all leaders about the expectation that the people of Kenya have: That we love our country dearly and will do our part individually and collectively to make Kenya work and succeed in promoting the well-being, dignity and liberty of all our people,” the president said.

He went on: “We are expected to be united by a vision of a strong, secure and prosperous Kenya where our people live in prosperity, freedom and happiness. These are proper and legitimate expectations.”

The Head of State stressed the importance of a shared understanding of all the country's causes, warning that without understanding, "we end up fighting each other instead of fighting for our causes".

“Without this understanding, we end up divided, when we should be united. I will go further and propose that although our ideas concerning the means, strategies and policies of achieving this vision may differ, we must remain cognizant of a line no one should ever cross: of wishing that this nation fails, or that her people suffer, just to vindicate our politics,” he said.

He warned against any plot by leaders to pursue an agenda of "sabotage for political gain".

Fierce competition

The president noted that democracy was a divine political gift that allows for fierce competition but also enables leaders to reconcile their aspirations and recognise the fundamental unity of the truest aspirations in a single vision for a free, strong, prosperous, united and secure nation.

This came as his deputy Rigathi Gachagua insisted that even as the country seeks reconciliation after last year's hotly contested presidential election, opposition leaders must "reconcile with the truth that William Ruto is the President of Kenya".

DP Gachagua said the president has already shown that he was ready and willing to reconcile with leaders, noting that even those who worked under former President Uhuru Kenyatta and undermined him have been promoted by the Kenya Kwanza administration.

“Even despite the harassment and intimidation we experienced from the former regime, people expected our president to go hammer and tongs against his persecutors but that has not been the case because he is magnanimous,” said Mr Gachagua.

He said unlike last year's prayer breakfast, which he described as "poisonous and full of hatred", this year's was an indication that the country was ready for unity for the sake of the people of Kenya.

Leaders of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition led by Raila Odinga, former President and Azimio Council Chairman Uhuru Kenyatta, Odinga's running mate in last year's election Martha Karua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene and Executive Council Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya skipped the event.