A group of religious leaders from various regions of the country has urged President William Ruto and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, to engage in dialogue and resolve their differences.
Led by Bishop Jarrison Mwendwa of Jesus Celebration Church, the clergy emphasized that the two leaders should come together to mend their relationship for the sake of the country’s development. They stressed the importance of initiating talks to prevent the situation from escalating further and also called on the Senate to handle Gachagua’s impeachment trial impartially.
“Kama inawezekana, rais mwenyewe na deputy waketi chini, waelewane na hii mambo, kwa sababu hii ni kama ndoa, hatuezi furahia kama walikua wameoana vizuri kisiasa lakini wakafika mahali wakakosana. Ni vizuri rais aweze kuchukua nafasi na deputy wakawasliana na imani, mambo yatakua mazuri,” the clergy stated.
Previously, various leaders, including former Makueni County Governor Kivutha Kibwana, have urged prominent religious figures to mediate the ongoing issues between Ruto and Gachagua. Kibwana pointed out that it was unreasonable for one political faction to use the constitution against another.
“Prominent faith sector leaders should mediate between President and Deputy. Despite differences, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila served their term (2008-2012). And so did Uhuru and Ruto during their tumultuous years from 2017 to 2022,” the former governor remarked.
“We should establish a convention of the President and Deputy serving their full terms. Article 27(4) of the Constitution forbids discrimination based on ethnic origin. Article 91 prohibits ethnic-based political parties. Recognizing the citizenship of Nubians, Makonde, Shona, etc., is great. However, it is wrong to marginalize Mt Kenya, South Eastern groups, or other classes and sectors,” he added.
He further stated, “The constitution should never be misused by one political group to fight another. That is the simple point I am making. In 2007/2008, we almost lost Kenya. Governors and their Deputies fight day in and day out for no good reason. The President and Deputy’s conflict is not about good governance.”
Last week, 281 Members of Parliament (MPs) voted to impeach the Deputy President on various grounds, including abuse of office, violation of the Constitution, and gross misconduct. The DP’s fate now lies with the Senate, where he will be tried in plenary sessions following his impeachment by the National Assembly.
