This archive report was first published on 27 April 2020.
On March 9, 2018, a historic handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga marked the beginning of a journey towards national unity, harmony, and reconciliation.
Fast forward to today, and the talk of a potential broad national unity government is not a surprise. In fact, it's a natural continuation of the process that began with the handshake.
As the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the power of unity has taken on a new meaning. But beyond the pandemic, unity has the potential to overcome the country's deep-seated political and ethnic divisions that have plagued it for generations.
President Kenyatta has described the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) as 'the best cure for our country's many ills.' The BBI has been a key part of the unity process, and its success has been a force for positive political developments in the country.
Despite sinister efforts to undermine the government's plans, the government remains committed to uniting Kenyans. This has been the focal point of the BBI process.
As President Kenyatta said in his 2018 Madaraka Day address, politics based on unity will help Kenya prosper. It's time for politicians to support initiatives that are good for the people, rather than pushing personal agendas.
By embracing unity, Kenya can break free from the forces that have inhibited its development and prosperity. The spirit of unity that helped the country attain independence in 1963 can be the same spirit that frees it from its current challenges.
