Lilian Nyiva
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has urged Kenyan leaders and citizens to avoid divisive politics and identity-based mobilization as the country gradually heads toward the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast held at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday, Kingi emphasized the need for wisdom, maturity and national cohesion during the politically sensitive period ahead.
“As we gradually approach the next general election, this period demands wisdom, restraint and maturity from all of us. We must guard carefully against division, polarization and identity-based mobilization,” Kingi said during the event.
Aim of the national prayer breakfast
The annual National Prayer Breakfast brought together political leaders, religious figures, diplomats, members of Parliament and representatives from various sectors of society for prayers and reflections on national unity and leadership.According to the organizers, the 2026 edition of the prayer breakfast focused on the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation, amid growing political tension across the country.
Kingi warned that political temperatures were already rising despite the country being more than a year away from the next elections. He noted that inflammatory political rhetoric could threaten national stability if leaders failed to exercise restraint.
“We have over one year to the election day, but if you listen to politicians crisscrossing this country and the kind of statements being released out there, the temperatures are rising day after day, and that is not good for this country,” Kingi said.He further called on leaders to embrace dialogue, forgiveness and reconciliation as a way of safeguarding peace and unity in the country.
The National Prayer Breakfast is hosted annually by Parliament on a rotational basis between the Senate and the National Assembly. This year’s event was hosted by the Senate.
The prayer gathering has become a longstanding national tradition since its establishment in 2003 during the administration of former President Mwai Kibaki. Its aim is to provide a non-partisan platform where leaders can reflect, pray and promote national cohesion.
Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo, who is part of the Bunge Fellowship organizing team, said the event was intended to encourage reconciliation among leaders and citizens before seeking forgiveness.
Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi also described the National Prayer Breakfast as an important parliamentary tradition that continues to shape conversations around leadership and national unity in Kenya and across the region.
The National Prayer Breakfast has consistently emphasized unity, ethical leadership and peaceful coexistence, especially during politically charged periods in the country’s history.
