President Kibaki on Sunday cautioned politicians against infighting and engaging in divisive politics.Instead, he said, leaders should unite to address the challenges that Kenya is facing.
Why should you keep on insulting others all the time? Hi ni kazi ya
utoto (This is childish). We should think of uniting to build the
nation, said President Kibaki, addressing a gathering at Kithimani in
Yatta.
Infighting among Cabinet ministers and MPs has come to the fore in the last few days, exposing bitter rivalries among them.
During a Cabinet meeting last week, Agriculture minister William Ruto
exchanged bitter words with his Justice, National Cohesion and
Constitutional Affairs counterpart, Ms Martha Karua.
Mr Ruto has also accused Ms Karua of having sponsored the motion to
censure him, which was brought to the floor of the House by Ikolomani
MP Bonny Khalwale.
Even when the motion, which Mr Ruto survived, was being debated, rivalries among MPs were evident.
At one time, Ms Karua collided with Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi
after he accused her of using the media to fight her political foes.
On Sunday, President Kibaki, who had visited Thika and Yatta to see how
relief food was being distributed, stressed the need for unity.
But is was Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta who first introduced
the topic at Thika Town, where the President had attended a service at
St Patrick's Catholic Church.
It is time for us to realise that elections are over. What we as
leaders should be doing is to unite people, not divide them, said Mr
Kenyatta.
President Kibaki, however assured Kenyans that the Government is
importing enough food to feed the 10 million people facing starvation.
At Yatta, the people told the President that they were not getting
enough food. Through their MP Charles Kilonzo, they said what they need
are boreholes and dams to store water for irrigation.