‘Stop fighting’, Catholic bishops plead with Uhuru and Ruto

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, to reconcile, claiming that their feud is threatening the country’s peace and tranquillity.

The 23-member conference stated in a statement on Wednesday that the fallout is already causing anxiety and has the potential to spark political violence if left unchecked.

“It is an open and sad reality that the President and Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya are not reading from  the same script,”  the conference said on Wednesday . “The public exchanges that are being witnessed are dangerous for the prevailing peace and tranquility in the Country and cannot be taken lightly,”

According to the Bishops, if the open disagreement between the two leaders is picked up by their supporters, the consequences across the country will be too dreadful to contemplate.

“In a young democracy like ours, it is important that there is unity among the top leaders as this gives confidence to the people,” the  Bishops said. 

They now want the two leaders to seek ways in which they can work together for the unity of the country. 

“As Church leaders we are ready to step in and mediate a working arrangement between the two leaders that our Country badly needs as provided by the Constitution,” the Bishops added. 

The former political brothers’ disputes have come to the fore in public, especially as Kenya’s General Election approaches.

In a recent interview, the Head of State chastised his deputy, accusing him of criticizing the same government that he serves yet refusing to ship out, leaving the country befuddled about his position.

According to Uhuru, it is not right for DP Ruto to choose what government projects to take pride and credit in and which ones to distance himself from.

“I have an agenda that I was elected on, and that work must continue, and it would really be the honourable thing that if you’re not happy with it that you would actually step aside and allow those who want to move on, and then  take your agenda to the people. Which is what happens in any normal democracy, because you can’t have your cake and eat it,” he said.

The DP who is seeking to succeed his boss however vowed to remain put, insisting that he was duly elected and given mandate by the people. 

“And for those who have a problem, I want to ask them for forgiveness and I want to tell them I am a man on a mission. I have no space to retreat and I don’t have the luxury to surrender… I’m a man on a mission to ensure the jobless, those running small business, the many farmers who are struggling they too become part of our nation and that Kenya cannot be a preserve for leaders and what they want and can get,” said Ruto.