Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has urged Kenyans to uphold peace, foster national unity and reject politics that polarizes citizens to safeguard the country’s cohesion.
Speaking after inspecting health facilities in Narok South Sub-County alongside Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, Ms. Tuya called on Kenyans to shun ethnic divisions and embrace peaceful coexistence.
The Cabinet Secretary said the Kenya Kwanza administration, under President William Ruto was implementing development projects across all counties without discrimination adding that despite the challenges facing the country, Kenya remains relatively peaceful and stable compared to neighbouring countries, many of which continue to grapple with political instability and economic hardships.
“God has truly blessed Kenya. We have peace and stability, but sometimes we fail to appreciate these blessings. I humbly appeal to Kenyans to continue praying for our country,” she added.
The Cabinet Secretary cautioned political leaders against promoting narratives that encourage ethnic divisions, warning against the resurgence of ethnic balkanization of the country as leaders step up engagements ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ms. Tuya pointed out that leaders have a responsibility to foster national unity and avoid utterances that could undermine peaceful coexistence among communities.
“We will reject factional and ethnic based politics and we will not stand by to watch people divide our country and take our country down the wrong path,” she said.
Using Narok as an example, Tuya said the county reflects peaceful coexistence among Kenya’s diverse communities, adding that leaders should protect such unity instead of exploiting ethnic differences for narrow political gains.
Tuya warned against a return to politics that fuels ethnic animosity, recalling the violence that accompanied politically instigated divisions in the past.
She said leaders should remain mindful of the country’s history and ensure political competition does not come at the expense of national cohesion.
Ms. Tuya appealed to Kenyans to continue praying for the country, saying Kenya remains relatively stable despite political and economic challenges facing several countries in the region.
She said Kenya’s peace and stability should not be taken for granted, and added that citizens have a collective responsibility to preserve national cohesion.
Tuya also challenged leaders to inspire hope among citizens by pursuing policies that improve livelihoods instead of promoting divisive politics, saying development should remain the country’s topmost priority.
The Cabinet Secretary reiterated that every Kenyan should always be responsible for maintaining peace, stability and tranquility in the country but regretted that some leaders were fully dedicated to ‘painting our country black’ before the international community.
“We must love our country more than anybody else outside Kenya,” Ms. Tuya said and urged Kenyans to always ensure their actions mean well for the country. “Our children are keen to copy what is done today. If we destroy our country, where are we taking our children? If you destroy your country with your own hands, where will we raise our children? What will they get into?” Tuya posed.
She noted: “Our children, who will be taking over leadership after our generation, must understand that patriotism supersedes personal ambition. The praises and accolades Kenya receives outside our borders must not be underrated. We must be vigilant to ensure our country remains a haven of peace.”
She added “When you hear the praises and accolades and profile of Kenya outside our borders, it’s outstanding, but then when you come in, you hear negativity from ourselves. If we don’t love ourselves, then who is going to love us?”
The Cabinet Secretary told Kenyans to be patriotic and guard the borders so that “our day-to-day businesses can continue thriving in a peaceful environment.”
“We must love our country, we must guard our security jealously because we know what is happening beyond our borders,” she said.
Governor Ole Ntutu echoed the CS’s call for peace and urged leaders to uphold justice, respect democratic processes and ensure every Kenyan has an opportunity to participate freely in elections.
He urged political leaders to focus on issues affecting wananchi and avoid actions that could divide communities, saying peaceful elections remain essential in strengthening democracy and maintaining public confidence in the country’s electoral process.
The Governor also defended the government’s reform programme, saying the Kenya Kwanza administration had chosen to implement difficult policy decisions that previous administrations had not fully executed.
Ntutu said reforms in sectors such as health and education had remained on the government’s policy agenda for years but had largely stalled during previous administrations.
He argued that while the reforms have attracted mixed reactions, they are intended to improve service delivery and address long-standing socio-economic challenges impacting Kenyans.
By Emily Kadzo and Evalyne Mutengei
