President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked Kenyans to be wary of
leaders who want to violate the Constitution to achieve their selfish agenda.
President Kenyatta said leaders must respect all the
institutions established in the Constitution as far as the management and
running of the country’s affairs was concerned.
He said it is paramount that leaders and Kenyans in
general adhere to the provisions of the Constitution while airing their
grievances
on any given issue.
“It is particularly saddening that those who were at the
front in supporting the enactment of the Constitution are now turning against
the same laws,” he said at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru when he led the country in
marking this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations.
He went on: “We must be a nation that respects and
follows the rule of law.”
The President asked opposition leaders to respect those
who have been entrusted with the leadership of the country if they were also to
be respected.
President Kenyatta noted that he had invited Coalition
for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) leaders, led by Raila Odinga, to join him in
marking the celebrations but wondered why they did not turn up.
“I invited them (opposition leaders) to this important
event but I am surprised that they have not turned up. Maybe they decided to
hold their own rally,” said President Kenyatta.
Mr Kenyatta said Cord’s decision to hold its parallel
celebrations at Uhuru Park as earlier planned was disrespectful.
The President and his deputy, William Ruto, said the hard
position taken by the Opposition against IEBC commissioners among other
grievances could cause unrest in the country.
“We can differ, that is right and it is democracy, but it
cannot be that things must always go your way as an individual or a few, it
becomes hard,” he said.
It was a historic moment as the President held the
national celebrations for the first time outside Nairobi, with Nakuru being the
first county to host the event.
The stadium, with a sitting capacity 17,000, was filled
to capacity, with those unable to access the grounds following the proceedings
from screens mounted around the facility.
Security officers were, however, forced to open the gates
allowing in more members of the public, who filled half of the stadium arena.
Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto in their speeches said all
Kenyans irrespective of class and status are subject to the Constitution and
the law. “It is the only way we can remain a nation and only way Kenya can make
progress,” the Deputy President said.
No comments:
Post a Comment