President Uhuru Kenyatta calls for unity, tells Raila Odinga to respect presidency

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Wiiliam Ruto are received by Bishop Arthur Kitonga on arrival at Redeemed Gospel Church where they joined other faithfuls for a Sunday worship service.

NAIROBI, KENYA: President Uhuru Kenyatta has condemned what he termed as confrontational politics of the opposition led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Speaking Sunday at Gospel Redeemed Church in Nairobi’s Mathare area, the President told off opposition leaders in their quest to push for a referendum. He asked them to rise above insults in political rallies and join him in constructive politics.

He said CORD leaders led by Raila should learn to practice mature politics and desist from constantly issuing threats and insults to a popularly elected Government.

“I want to tell my brother Raila Odinga to respect the Presidency. If he was elected the President, I would not be standing by the roadside to insult him. I would actually respect his office and himself. I expect the same from him,” President Kenyatta said.

He added: “I invite the opposition to work with me to move the country forward. This attitude of endless confrontation and hostility is denying our country the needed investments to create jobs.”

He reminded the CORD leader that competition was not enmity and its time leaders respected one another for peace to prevail in the country.

The Head of State, who made stops in Mlango Kubwa and several other places to campaign for the TNA candidate in the Mathare by-election, George Wanjohi, said the challenges facing Kenyans cannot be solved through divisive politics.

“Challenges faced by Kenyans do not know religion or ethnic backgrounds. Hospitals serve all patients without bias on religious or ethnic backgrounds. Even development does not know boundaries,” he said.

SHOUTING MATCH

Deputy President William Ruto said the Jubilee government would not be distracted from its agenda by the constant noise and threats by the opposition which is demanding a referendum on a host of issues including increasing financial allocations to county governments.

“We have a clear agenda for Kenyans which we are implementing. We will not engage in a political shouting match with the opposition,” he said

The President asked Kenyans to support the country’s security agencies by exposing criminal elements in their midst in the spirit of being the brother’s keepers.

“We cannot create the dream nation in an insecure environment. Security is crucial to creation of jobs and the country’s transformative agenda,” he said.

He told the youth to guard against self-seekers who want to manipulate them for their own selfish ends to commit criminal activities. He said terrorism and other criminal activities are not being perpetuated by communities, religions or tribes and that the Government will not relent on its war against individuals out to disrupt the prevailing peace in the country.

“You all know that Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan was seriously injured in a terrorist attack. The attackers were not advancing any religious or ethnic agenda but are generally individual criminals out to disrupt peace and we will go for them,” he said. Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko, Women Rep Rachel Shebesh and TNA Chairman Johnson Sakaja appealed to the electorate to vote for Jubilee candidate.