Build bridges not barriers, Ruto on meet with Uhuru

President William Ruto has stressed the importance of political leaders working together so that they can find solutions to critical issues of national interest.

Ruto explained that as leaders they must continually build bridges instead of creating barriers underlining that the collective strength of all stakeholders is key to addressing the country’s challenges.

According to the head of state, it is for this reason that he is now working with Raila Odinga and retired president Uhuru Kenyatta.

“We want to fashion a country that all of us believe in, a country that we can all have a stake in and participate in it in realising our full potential,” he stated.

Speaking in Wajir during the annual pastoralists’ leadership summit, Ruto added that he will continue to reach out to other leaders from the opposition.

He expressed that the country’s future lies in inclusivity, where every citizen plays a role in shaping its path.

On Monday, Ruto paid a courtesy call to Uhuru at his Ichaweri home where they discussed national and regional issues.

“I thanked him for his continued role as a national statesman and for peace-making in the region,” Ruto wrote.

A statement from State House stated that the two leaders appreciated the need to achieve broader political consensus in the governance of our country to accelerate inclusive growth and fulfil the national development agenda.

It added that the two leaders acknowledged the challenging global environment affecting many countries, including Kenya, caused by a complex of factors.

The issues included the disruptive effects of COVID-19, the war in Ukraine - which destabilised supply chains and led to high commodity prices, particularly for fertiliser and wheat - volatile currency markets, and a harsh macroeconomic climate.

The meeting between Ruto and Uhuru was the second in recent months. Last month, they met during the installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung’u of the Embu Diocese of the Catholic Church.