Calls for peace dominate Dr Laboso requiem service

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto during the requiem service for Bomet Governor Dr Joyce Laboso at Bomet Green Stadium on August 2, 2019. PHOTO | REBECCA NDUKU | DPPS

What you need to know:

  • President Uhuru Kenyatta avoided politics and eulogised Dr Laboso as a charismatic leader.
  • Mr Odinga stressed on the need to unite the county to rid it of corruption.

Calls for unity dominated the requiem mass of Bomet Governor Dr Joyce Laboso on Friday.

Leaders called on President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga to use their March 9, 2018 handshake as a fabric to hold the country together.

It all started by a sermon delivered by African Gospel Church (AGC) head Bishop Dr Robert Lang'at that was themed on forgiveness, unity and reconciliation.

DIVERSITY

President Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto and Mr Odinga led mourners at the event at the Bomet Green Stadium.

In his sermon, Bishop Lang'at said Kenyans should emulate Dr Laboso for her respect for the country's diversity.

"(Dr) Laboso loved people regardless of their communities and this informed her marriage to (Mr) Edwin Abonyo. Her burial in Nyanza on Saturday should be a wakeup call to our leaders; President Uhuru, DP Ruto and Raila Odinga to steer the country towards forgiveness, unity and reconciliation," Bishop Lang'at said.

He went on: "This Country is bigger than us and it is only through unity that we shall succeed."

Jubilee party politics also took centre stage but the President avoided politics and instead eulogised Dr Laboso as a charismatic leader.

“Laboso understood politics and was a good leader,” President Kenyatta said.

SUPPORT

Dr Ruto reiterated his loyalty to the President and assured him and Mr Odinga of his unwavering support for unity of the country.

“We could be in different political formations but we remain friends and Kenyans,” the DP said.

He said Jubilee was not formed to win election but to enhance unity.

“When the President led us to form the Jubilee party, it was not necessarily about winning any election, it was about uniting the people of Kenya and eliminating the politics of hate, division and tribalism,” he said.

He pointed out that he was behind the President Kenyatta to ensure the country never goes back to the politics of hate, division and ethnicity.

“Our focus will be on unity of the people of Kenya and development of our nation,” said Dr Ruto who assured Mr Odinga of his commitment to work with him under President Kenyatta’s leadership to unite the country.

 CORRUPTION

“I want to assure you my brother the former Prime Minister that we will work together under the leadership of Uhuru to unify this country,” he added.

Mr Odinga stressed on the need to unite the county to rid it of corruption.

“It is important for leaders to unite the people for the sake of development,” Mr Odinga said.

He said Dr Laboso was a symbol of unity and a hard working politician who was keen on empowering her people and uniting communities.

“It is important that we complete the Bosto water project as a sign of respect for Dr Laboso,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen said Dr Laboso did not wish that the President and his deputy separate on the basis of “perceived” formations of Tangatanga and Kieleweke.

 “Her personal wish was that if we want to unite Kenya through the handshake, we must start first by working together as Jubilee,” Mr Murkomen said.

He advised the two top Jubilee leaders to go back to their first love.

UNITED

“We should fly one Jubilee flag and avoid the formations like Embrace and Inua mama,” Mr Murkomen said.

Youth and Gender Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Rachel Shebesh urged the President and his Deputy to remain united.

“Joyce (Laboso) is not giving you a choice today. You were brought together by the people of Kenya and it is only them who will separate you,” said Ms Shebesh.

Ms Shebesh said that despite the political formations, Jubilee government must remain united under the leadership of the President and his deputy.

Nominated Senator Cecil Mbarire said: “We want a united Jubilee. Our unity as Jubilee does not affect handshake.”  

POLITICS

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale however, downplayed claims of differences between the Head of State and his deputy.

“The problems we are facing in Jubilee and country are as a result of politics and politicians, such groupings should not thrive,” Mr Duale said.

Other leaders who attended the mass ahead of Dr Laboso’s burial at her Fort Ternan home in Muhoroni/Koru ward in Kisumu County included CoG Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya, CSs Fred Matiang’I, Sicily Kariuki, Charles Keter, Farida Karoney, Bomet Deputy Governor Hillary Barchok and several senator and MPs.