President should stop politicians from using his functions to divide Kenyans

President William Ruto, from left Father. Alloice Bett (Tot Catholic Church), Bishop David Kaseton ( Bishop AIC West Pokot) Bishop David Kipsoi (Bishop AIC Elgeyo Marakwet) at Tot comprehensive school in the county for the Kerio Valley Interdenominational prayer service.[PCS/Standard]

A presidential function must all the time live up to its billing where national harmony is promoted. However, under Dr Ruto, speeches that can easily be misinterpreted as aimed at causing divisions are habitually made.

Speakers at State functions have been diluting impactful messages such functions ought be associated with.

In normal circumstances, the message delivered by the Head of State ought to dominate public reviews afterwards. Sadly, it is the controversial statements by his juniors that carry the day.

One wonders how different these statements are from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s when he addressed a parallel press conference soon after Dr Ruto had addressed the nation at the height of the Gen Z demonstrations.

Among the reasons that Gachagua was impeached was his decision to address a media conference in Mombasa minutes after the President did the same at State House. That was wrong as Kenyans had not even internalised the President’s message to the nation.

But it’s even worse now when political leaders go full throttle against each other in the presence of the President and foreign dignitaries.

Take for example, the highly charged burial of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and his brother Tim Wanyonyi’s mother. Several days on,  Kenyans are talking about what National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah said and not what the President said.

It is Ichung’wah’s blasting of Governor George Natembeya that has dominated talk across the country and beyond.

It’s unfortunate that the President did not rebuke Ichung’wah over what bordered on serious character assasination of our elected leaders.

When the National Assembly Majority Leader publicly claims that Natembeya  oversaw the massacre of Kenyans when he was a regional commissioner and that the ongoing disappearances of Kenyans are being masterminded by a clique led by the impeached deputy president, that ought to have drawn the attention of the President.

The President ignored Ichung’wah and other leaders who made similar statements that some have now interpreted to mean that the government knows more about the abductions.

Many Kenyans are now at sea, not knowing what to make of what Ichung’wah said about past mysterious murders. They are wondering if they were truely executed by known State operatives as claimed by Ichung’wah or those were the personal views of the Kikuyu legislator.

Families of those who have died mysteriously or disappeared now have grounds to seek answers from Ichungwah. He should tell them what he knows.

Leaders must tame their tongues and should know that whatever they say can easily ignite trouble among peace-loving Kenyans who wants nothing but quality services from all leaders.

Finally, Mr President, ensure that your functions are State functions and not avenues for those out to impress you to cause confusion and divisions among Kenyans.

Mr Omanga is a media practitioner. [email protected]