Amidst the ongoing Finance Bills 2024 controversy, which ended in protestors invading the National Assembly on Tuesday, former President Uhuru Kenyatta has advocated for peace.
While lamenting the lives of Kenyans lost in the protests, Uhuru emphasized in a statement to newsrooms how crucial it is for elected officials to pay attention to their people.
At this hard time, I’d like to remind all leaders that they were elected by the people. He stated, “Listening to the people is a mandate that is embedded in the core principles of democracy and philosophy, as well as in the foundations of our constitution. It is not a choice.
“Leaders must know that power and authority they have is donated to them by the people. I therefore call for calm and for the leadership to show restraint and do the right thing by listening to the people.”
Uhuru contends that Kenyans exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protests shouldn’t be met with hostility from the government or the use of force.
“Violence on either side is not the answer. As your former President, I have felt the weight and difficulty of leading Kenya I therefore pray for wisdom and civility to be established and for peace and progress to belong to all of us as children of Kenya,” he said.
Uhuru also asked Kenyans to engage in conversation with the current government.
“I pray for understanding on the part of each and every Kenyan and for all of us to remember that Kenya is bigger than one of us; there is nothing cast in stone that cannot be changed,” said Uhuru.
