The National Prayer Breakfast came and went and with it, Kenyans got a lot to talk about.
Many Kenyans downplayed the importance of the said event with many calling it a convention of thieves who have time and again frustrated them with high taxes and corruption.
Just like our politicians have turned the pulpit into platforms for endless politicking, this year’s National Breakfast took a political twist.
There were visible political differences with leaders also seemingly giving divergent views on the ongoing war against corruption.
There were calls by a number of Speakers to have the early political campaigns halted so that people can focus on development and fight corruption.
Political rivalry between Deputy President William Ruto and Opposition Chief Raila Odinga also manifested itself with Ruto making a statement that has been seen by many as one directed towards Odinga.
In a departure from last year’s event that was characterised by hugs and handshakes between Uhuru, Ruto, Opposition leaders Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka, this year’s event saw leaders take jibes at each other, albeit subtly.
Addressing the gathering that included South Sudan President Salva Kiir, Cabinet secretaries, Members of Parliament, top government officials and religious leaders, Ruto joked that Kenya was willing to offer Raila— though he did not mention him by name— to the United Kingdom because the Kenyan Constitution does not have a position for him.
This was in response to a remark by guest speaker KPMG International’s Global Head of Corporate Citizenship Michael John Hastings, who with a light touch in reference to the Brexit turmoil that has ended the tenure of British Prime Minister Theresa May, requested Kenya to “donate” a “spare” Prime Minister to the United Kingdom.
May announced last Friday that she would quit as UK premier and Conservative party leader on June 7 for failing to deliver on her promise to take the country out of the European Union. Taking the cue, Ruto, in apparent jest, said the Kenyan government was ready to grant Hastings the offer.
“On your request for a PM. We have a retired one in Kenya and since the Constitution of Kenya does not have the post and may not have it anytime soon, we will send you his CV,” Ruto said. “In any case, we have been having British help us govern our country, it is payback time,” added the DP.
Raila did not attend yesterday’s meeting as he is away on official duty in Ethiopia, but his political allies Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his ANC counterpart Musalia Mudavadi were present.
Ruto’s remark drew instant angry reactions from opposition politicians who accused him of political mischief. In an apparent reaction to Ruto, President Uhuru said that apart from Raila, he had three more people to donate to the British government.
“You have been given an offer for one person. However, I have more people I can donate to you for the next three years for me to have peace,” he said amid laughter from the gathering.
Earlier, Ruto said he would continue to donate money to churches despite criticism that politicians were using religion to sanitise proceeds of corruption.
“The confession I want to make is when you see some of us go to church and pray, lift up our hands, sometimes shed tears, make this or that contribution, it is because we cannot forget where God has brought us from. I beg you to understand,” Ruto told the congregation at Safari Park Hotel.
“Some of us have more to thank God for, than some of you,” he added.
His statement came a day after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji urged church leaders to reject “questionable” donations as they encourage corruption.
Ruto said he supports Uhuru’s fight against corruption and rallied the country to this year’s theme “Beyond corruption – to a new national ethos”.