Deputy President William Ruto and Azimio One Kenya presidential running mate, Martha Karua, have come under sharp criticism from Kenyans after they struggled to quote Bible verses during the Nation Prayer Breakfast held at the Safari Park Hotel on Thursday, May 26.
Ruto, who is famous for making biblical references during his addresses, missed the mark when he quoted the wrong verse amid calling for a truce to end the bad blood between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
After apologising to the Head of State, the DP quoted prophet Elijah in admitting that he had disappointed the President, further asking for forgiveness.
"I also know that serving as the deputy president, I may have fallen short of expectations of my boss His Excellency the President, my good friend, I ask for your forgiveness.
"The Bible says in Isaiah 1:18, We have fallen short of His glory. To all I may have wronged, I ask for your forgiveness, and all those who have wronged me, I forgive them with a clean heart," a soft-spoken Ruto stated.
However, Kenyans.co.ke established that the DP missed the mark in his quotation given that the scripture he quoted was from the book of Romans.
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool," reads Isaiah 1.18, the verse Ruto quoted.
Romans 3:23 states: "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." This is the verse the DP quoted but in the wrong book.
On the other hand, Karua, for whom he had broken protocol by calling her to speak before inviting Uhuru, also found it difficult in navigating through the scriptures - a shortcoming she admitted to.
"I just want you to remember that somewhere in the Bible, I am not good with quoting, so do not expect the verse. It is said that prayers without action is not real. So how I pray that our prayers are matched by our actions," she stated.
The Narc Kenya party leader was making reference to the book of James 2:26, which states that faith without action is dead. Ruto and Karua, spoke in one voice calling for a peaceful election period.
In response to his deputy, Uhuru expressed hope that the DP's prayers would be granted. He affirmed the power of togetherness regardless of their political affiliation, stating that he wished to have a peaceful retirement after handing over power.
"I do hope the prayers of DP Ruto on my retirement come true, I am looking forward to peace and enjoyment in the years to come," Uhuru stated.
DP Ruto, who openly professes his faith, stunned believers again in April 2019, after quoting a non-existent scripture of Mathew Chapter 6 verse 35. Kenyans were stunned which version of the Bible he was reading from as the Chapter has 33 verses only.
