Rise above self-interest and rebuild Kenya, Speaker Wetang’ula tells leaders

Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi
Wednesday, May 28, 2025

National Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. (Dr) Moses Wetang’ula has called on Kenyan leaders, to rise above personal interests and embrace a higher calling of service, unity, and collective responsibility in rebuilding the country’s socio-economic, political, and spiritual foundations.

Speaking during the 22nd National Prayer Breakfast held at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Speaker Wetang’ula urged the political class to recommit to moral leadership and serve all Kenyans, irrespective of their religion, ethnicity, or social status.

 “This year’s prayer breakfast calls upon all of us leaders and citizens to awaken to a higher sense of duty,” he said. “Let us rise with purpose, anchored in faith and resolve, to rebuild our state.”

The interfaith gathering, held under the theme “Rise and Rebuild,” brought together Kenya’s top leadership including H.E. President William Ruto, First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto, Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, his spouse Dr. Joyce Kindiki, Speakers of both Houses, the clergy, legislators, and invited guests from around the world.

In a speech laced with biblical allusions and urgent appeals for introspection, Wetang’ula painted a picture of a nation at a crossroads but also one with boundless potential if citizens and leaders alike renew their commitment to service and national cohesion.

“The work of rebuilding is not solely the task of government,” he said. “It is first and foremost the work of the heart, the mind, and the spirit. It requires fidelity, hope, and integrity.”

Drawing from the book of Nehemiah in the Bible, the Speaker likened Kenya’s current moment to Jerusalem’s post-exilic reconstruction.

“Let us rise up and build,” he quoted, noting that true nation-building goes beyond infrastructure and into the moral and spiritual values that hold a society together.

Speaker Wetang’ula acknowledged the tough economic realities facing many Kenyans but praised President Ruto’s administration for its deliberate efforts to stabilize the economy, lower the cost of living, manage public debt responsibly, and create opportunities for young people.

“These are not simple tasks,” he observed. “But they reflect a resolute commitment to stability, inclusivity, and long-term prosperity.”

Reaffirming Parliament’s role in national renewal, Wetang’ula emphasized that the legislative arm is firmly aligned with the government’s transformation agenda especially in areas of job creation, structural reform, and protection of the vulnerable.

“After all, a nation is judged by how the most vulnerable in society are faring,” he said. “We must work to ameliorate their conditions.”

He challenged the narrative that Kenya’s challenges are government-made, urging introspection at all levels of society.

“People are the source of evil, and people are the solution,” he said, quoting Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, but right through every human heart.”

Nevertheless, Wetang’ula appealed to the clergy and spiritual leaders to be the country’s moral compass amid increasing polarization.

“Preach forgiveness. Promote unity. Proclaim hope,” he implored. “The voice of the people is the voice of God, and it must echo the words of Christ: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.’”

The Speaker cited the late Pope Francis’s analogy of the Church as a “field hospital” after battle where the hurting come not to be judged, but to be healed.

“Let the Church not be a courtroom but a sanctuary,” he added.

Wetang’ula also came to the defence of President William Ruto, who has faced mounting criticism in recent months from the united opposition as well as civil society groups.

Quoting Isaiah 54:17, he assured the Head of State that “no weapon formed against you shall prosper.”

“God never said that weapons wouldn’t be formed,” he noted. “Only that they will not succeed.”

He urged the President to remain focused on the country’s bigger vision and not be swayed by detractors.

“Great leaders never lose sight of the big picture,” he said. “We encourage you to remain such a leader.”