Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday, June 6, confirmed that all Azimio principals will not attend the National Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, June 7, at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi.
In a statement, Raila confirmed receiving an invitation to the event but declined the invite citing need for honesty and humility in matters of prayer for the nation.
“Azimio la Umoja one Kenya coalition party wishes to confirm that its leaders received an invitation to the National Prayer Breakfast scheduled to take place at the Safari Park Hotel tomorrow, 7th June 2023.
“We believe the times require that as a country, we should approach our Creator and the Protector of our nation with honesty and humility and also talk to our people truthfully, frankly and boldly on the issues facing the nation today,” read the Azimio statement
The opposition coalition argued that the National Prayer Breakfast did not offer the environment the country needs to show humility before God, honesty with citizens and respect between leaders.
He added that the event will dishonor God and the country claiming that leaders will display arrogance, superiority battles, and false hopes to citizens.
“The beauty of our faith is that we answer to an Almighty and Omnipresent God who, over the ages, has answered to prayers offered from the mansions of kings and queens as well as those of neglected people in forgotten parts of the earth,” the statement added.
The coalition, however, gave its members of Parliament greenlight to attend the event organised by the country's executive.
The event, which was initially scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 31, was postponed to Wednesday, June 7.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, who oversees the planning of the event, revealed in a statement that he had notified all the invited guests including MPs about the postponement.
President William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and other top government officials are among the guests who will grace the event themed ‘Reconciliation with God and with man’.
This was not the first time Raila will skip the national prayer event because he also failed to show up on May 26, 2022.
Raila at the time explained that he was unable to join the congregants because he had other matters to attend to.
