Ruto Mocks Uhuru, Makes Comparison To Previous National Prayer Breakfast
Ruto recalled his address at the same event last year where he begged his former boss for forgiveness.
Marvin Chege 
President William Ruto on Wednesday, June 7 used his first National Prayer Breakfast to poke holes at former President Uhuru Kenyatta who had sidelined him during the 2022 edition prior to the elections.
In his address in front of invited guests at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, the Head of State recalled his address at the same event last year where he begged his former boss for forgiveness.
“I remember the last prayer breakfast here was around the same.
"I remember asking for forgiveness from my friend the former president. It is interesting that today we are again discussing the subject of forgiveness and reconciliation,” Ruto bantered.
President William Ruto seated apart from former President Uhuru Kenyatta at the National Prayer Breakfast at Safari Park Hotel on May 26, 2022. /PSCU
What Happened In The 2022 Prayer Breakfast?
On Thursday, May 26, 2022, Ruto, who was then the Deputy President, made an uncharacteristic climb down by publicly apologising to Uhuru for letting him down and failing to live up to his expectations.
This is after bitter political duels saw Dr Ruto heap blame on the Head of State for re-allocating his responsibilities hence rendering his office ‘impotent’.
“I have had the privilege and honour of serving as deputy president to my friend President Uhuru Kenyatta and it’s an honour that I cherish.
“I know we have done our best. We might not have done as much as you had expected of us; we have failed you in some areas. We have not been as united as we should have been. Specifically for myself, I ask for your forgiveness,” he added.
Ruto also acknowledged falling short of expectations while serving as Uhuru’s second-in-command.
“I may have fallen short of the expectations of my boss and I ask for your forgiveness,” he said.
Ruto extended his plea for forgiveness to other Kenyans. “I also know that in this journey, many people have hurt me but in this prayer breakfast, I forgive everybody. I want us to go into this election free of the debt of hurt and free of the debt of forgiveness.”
The event gained prominence as the two leaders broke tradition by seating apart from each other, with Uhuru seating alongside Chief Justice Martha Koome and former Attorney General Kihara Kariuki and Ruto with Attorney General Austin Muturi and Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, who served as National Assembly and Senate Speakers, respectively.
Present Day
More than one year later, things have changed. Ruto opened up on the change of fortunes after the 2022 August 9 general elections which he termed as a closely-contested one between him and Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
He also never shied away from bragging about how he beat Raila, Kenyatta’s preferred candidate, against all odds, turning the then-president into a leader of the opposition.
“It only happens in Kenya that in our last election, the opposition leader became the government candidate, and the sitting deputy president became the opposition, candidate.
“The opposition candidate won the election and the sitting president then handed over power to his deputy. And went ahead to become the leader of the opposition party. That only happens in Kenya,” Ruto said.
The Head of State also termed the 2022 elections as a turning point for Kenya as her citizens put aside ethnic differences and focused on more pressing issues considered of national importance, elections he also praised as peaceful.
“The ethnic configuration that always informed our politics was not there. We had both sides presenting a national face in their formation,” he added.
On his part, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua joined in the comparisons between the 2022 and 2023 National Prayer Breakfast events, with tales of Ruto's strained relationship with Uhuru making most of the headlines.
"The last prayer breakfast here was a very toxic affair full of tension and hatred. The President (Ruto) could not sit at the same table with his boss,” Gachagua remarked, applauding his boss for embracing forgiveness.
"Many of us who work around him have great difficulties with that approach but along the way, he has persuaded us that reconciliation is the way to go for the betterment of this country."
Gachagua also disclosed that President Ruto defied his associates to promote a lady who removed his seat from Uhuru's table at the 2022 National Prayer Breakfast, with the associates mostly calling for Ruto to punish the lady after Kenya Kwanza won the elections.
"When we were trying to align people around the President, many people around us believed that the lady who removed the seat where the President was to sit, should be shown the door.
"When the President learnt about it, he stated that she followed protocol and was even promoted. Today, she works around the President," he added.
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