Your Excellency Paul Kagame,

President of the Republic of Rwanda ,

Honorable Members of Parliament,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me, first of all, to take this opportunity to once again extend a warm welcome to His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda , and his distinguished delegation, to Kenya and to this National Prayer Breakfast.

On behalf of the Government and the people of Kenya , I express our gratitude to your Excellency for finding time to be with us on this important occasion of our National Prayer Breakfast.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank all Kenyans who are assembled here, and in other venues, for answering the call to prayer and repentance. Above, all I take this opportunity to thank God for having made this event possible.

Excellency,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we go before God, let us give thanks for the many blessings he has showered upon our land. Let us acknowledge that our achievements, as individuals and as a nation have been possible not because of our own talents and efforts but because of God’s sovereign grace. Let us also continue to give thanks to God in humble acknowledgement that without His mercy the rich heritage we enjoy and the challenges we have successfully gone through would not have been possible.

We should also seek forgiveness in the true spirit of repentance. God has promised to heal our land on condition that we turn away from wicked ways.

I urge Kenyans to uphold this spirit of repentance and to make a deliberate effort to walk the path that God has prescribed. It is only through repentance that we shall be justified before God as individuals and our country exalted among the community of nations.

Excellency,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we go before God this morning, let us also reflect on the challenges we are facing and seek God’s intervention. In particular, we are in great need of reconciliation and healing.

Let us pray for God’s grace to enable us reinforce our communal ties and reach out in unity to one another as brothers and sisters in the spirit of God’s commandment to love others as we love ourselves.

I single out national reconciliation and healing because in the aftermath of the post election violence, national healing is one of the key challenges we faced. I am glad to note that as a Government, we are making progress towards addressing this challenge.

Indeed the law establishing the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission was passed by Parliament in December last year. The process of hiring the commissioners has now commenced with a view to having a fully established Commission within the next two months.

Similarly, the National Cohesion and Integration Act is now operational. The Commission will address the issues of negative ethnic tendencies and lead the process of national reconciliation and integration.

I expect that the process of healing and reconciliation will take deep root among ourselves as individuals and within our communities so that we can move forward with a renewed sense of nationhood.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to note that the process of national reconciliation, healing and integration will require the commitment of all Kenyans to succeed. In particular, political leaders must demonstrate by word and deed that they are committed to the reconciliation and healing process.

As leaders, we must be united in these endeavors. The people must sense a unifying force in their institutions of governance. The nation must be healed by a common patriotism and sense of duty among all leaders.

I also wish to emphasize that reconciliation and healing is a duty of all of us. I call upon all Kenyans, faith leaders, civil society and media to take it upon themselves the duty of fostering a spirit of repentance and forgiveness that will contribute to national healing and reconciliation.

Indeed, as citizens, individual Kenyans have a critical role to play in building a just and peaceful country by choosing to be a force for justice and reconciliation within their communities, reaching out to neighbours and those in need and forgiving one another in the true Christian spirit.

I call upon all Kenyans to exercise their individual power and leadership to bring about that true spirit of Kenya , united in one common bond.

In conclusion, I wish to appeal to everyone one of us to embrace the spirit of Christian selflessness so that we can be able to realize the future we all envisage for our country.

This is a future based on mutual respect and mutual responsibility, a future where all Kenyans, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of our great country. This is the kind of nation that God wishes and wants for us.

This is also the future we pray God to bestow on our East African region. A future where we shall remain fully committed to the spirit of a united and stable East Africa at peace with itself and providing opportunities for a decent and prosperous life for all our citizens.

Thank you and God bless you all.