The congregation opens with praise and worship hymns, singing 'Mshukuruni Bwana kwa kuwa ni mwema, fadhili zake ni za milele' (Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever), 'Katika shida zangu namuita Bwana, akanijibu na akanitegemeza' (In my troubles I call on the Lord, he answers and supports me), and 'Wana yu upande wangu sitaogopa, mwanadamu hatanitenda kitu kamwe' (The Lord is on my side, I will not fear; what can man do to me).
Asanteni, naona wako karibu. Tuwashangilie wanapoingia. Let's appreciate their effort, please.
Okay, tuendelee tafadhali.
The choir continues with praise and worship, singing 'Nioshe nitakase, kweli niwe mweupe kabisa' (Wash me and cleanse me, that I may be completely clean) and 'Mwenye dhambi Bwana uninyoshe nitakase' (Sinful one, Lord, stretch out your hand and cleanse me).
Asanteni sana, tuwape makofi. Praise and worship. Tafadhali muingie kwa njukwaa. You can have a presentation as we wait for the next.
Praise and worship. Tafadhali tuendelee na ibada.
Go before the Lord. Let us go before the Lord and worship his name. Lift up your hands, worship his name. Call him Kadosh, Kadosh is his name. Lift up your hands. Don't look at your neighbor. Lift up your hands. Tell him that you are worthy of worship. Mwambie ni wewe Yesu unastahili kuabudiwa wewe pekee yako. Just lift up your hands and worship your God.
The congregation engages in extended praise and worship in call-and-response format, singing 'Ni wewe Bwana' (It is you, Lord), 'Jina la Yesu jina' (The name of Jesus, the name), 'Kama malaika wanakuabudu, mimi ni nani nisikuabudu' (If the angels worship you, who am I not to worship you), and 'Sisi wana wako tumekusanyika, angalia Bwana, tunakuhitaji' (We your children have gathered, look upon us Lord, we need you).
Basi naomba tusimame sote tunapoendelea na huo wimbo. Bwana sehemu yangu, rafiki yangu, wewe katika safari yangu.
The congregation sings 'Bwana sehemu yangu, rafiki yangu, wewe katika safari yangu, natembea na wewe pamoja' (Lord, my portion, my friend, in my journey I walk with you together), 'Niongoze safarini mbele, unichukue mlangoni mwa mbinguni' (Lead me on the journey ahead, take me through the gates of heaven), and 'Heri nikute mashaka sawasawa na wewe' (Better to face troubles together with you).
Thank you so much. I now want to call upon the boys and girls brigade so that we can have the national band. Okay, I stand guided. I want to welcome the principal, Mr. Kairi, to welcome us in this institution, and then Bishop Mweli, our conference secretary, will take over. Watu waketi tafadhali.
Thank you very much. Your Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of our country. Your Excellency the Deputy President, the Presiding Bishop of the Church in Kenya, members of Parliament, County Assembly members led by the Speaker, the teaching fraternity, the education ministry, our CS, all protocols observed, ladies and gentlemen, my dear parents and students, good morning. On behalf of the Board of Management, the students and the parents of this school, I want to extend our heart of warm welcome. Feel much welcomed within Bure Boys High School. I pray that we are going to be blessed today even as we are led into worship service to celebrate 60 years of our existence. We want to thank God and thank the Methodist Church in Kenya, who are the founders of this school, and the government. The boys are telling me for the last 60 years no president has stepped foot here, but we have made a record to have the President of the Republic of Kenya. In 60 years, the first president to step in Bure Boys High School is His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto. Makofi tena kwake. Karibu kiongozi wetu wa taifa, and karibu sana. Presiding Bishop, utuongoze kwa ibada. Asante sana.
Thank you. We appreciate this day. It is a historic day for us as Methodist Church, the sponsor of this school. The Presiding Bishop, the guest of the day, His Excellency and our friend the Deputy President, and all protocols observed. We are grateful that you have come and it will not be in vain because the Bible says where two or three are gathered because of his name, there he is with them. I want to believe now God is with us and the objective of the day will be achieved. I welcome the bishops who are leading us with intercessory prayers to go there and guide us as we enter into the mood of prayer.
Let us pray. Everlasting Father, in Jesus' name we thank you and bless your name for this opportunity you have accorded each one of us. We want to thank you, King of all glory, because you have created us for a purpose and with a purpose. Lord, your mercies are new each and every morning. We want to commit ourselves before you even as we pray for our needs. Thank you, Lord, because you know our hearts. I want to commit each and every one of us to you this morning. Lord, as your word says, you are going to meet with our needs according to your riches in heaven. I pray, my Father, committing the needs of the hopeless, the sick, the starving, and families facing challenges. May your hand and light shine upon them. Even the unspoken, leaders have so many things on their table they want to fulfill. I pray that you carry that burden, starting with our President, that you lift that burden and he will be able to enjoy as he continues serving you. Be with us and guide us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Let us continue in prayer. Gracious and loving God, we gather this morning to give you thanks and praise for your goodness and love upon each one of us. We want to thank you, Lord, for the gift of this day and the gift of worship as an opportunity to gather together with our President and the Deputy President, members of the Cabinet, Parliament, the County Assembly, and all government leaders to worship you. Especially in this institution for the 60 years you have been with us. Father, we thank you for those who carried this dream and for those of us who have gone through this institution, which has prepared leaders serving in different areas of our government. Receive all glory and honor. Father, we want to thank you for bringing our President and Deputy President, for granting them safety. We pray and commit them into your hands that you continue upholding them as they lead this country. Uphold each leader, Lord. We thank you for the clergy and all members called into service. Receive our thanksgiving and honor and glory, for none is ever like you. You are our God and our Savior. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Let us continue in prayer. Almighty and ever-living God, in Jesus' name we appear before your throne of mercy once again. We thank you for your grace sufficient upon each one of us. We thank you for congregating us here as your church. We want to continue to lift your holy name. You have laid your church on the rock and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. We pray you continue guiding the church all over the world. We particularly pray for the Methodist Church in Kenya, the Presiding Bishop, all bishops, and all church leaders. Again, we thank you for the nation Kenya. We pray for the national government led by His Excellency the President who is today here with us. Every leadership proceeds from you. We thank you for this President and the transformations that have happened in this nation since he took over. We pray you continue giving him strength to bring development and prosperity. We pray for every person given responsibility in government. We pray for the 47 counties, all governors, and county leaders. We particularly remember our Governor. Give him grace to propel the County of Meru to prosperity. Be with us and guide us. In the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.
Let us appreciate them, tafadhali. We are in the liturgical order and continuing with our service. I request the two choirs to come forward, and after the two choirs we have the reading of the Word as we prepare to usher in the Presiding Bishop to nourish our hearts. After that we have a moment to give our offerings. As we prepare for offerings, the two choirs will be presenting. Maziwa tafadhali, ndoleri. Being given opportunity, don't waste time. Maziwa yakimaliza mnaingia, tupate neno la Bwana. Tuendelee. Time is not on our side, we must keep time. We appreciate your coming. Take your podium, please. Ndoleli wako? Ndoleli hawako. Karibuni. Wimbo mmoja. Not more than 5 minutes. Boys, mjipange. After that we have the boys senior school CU chairman lead for us.
The choir performs 'Alileta neema yako, neema yako' and other worship songs, including pieces with lyrics praising God's grace and faithfulness.
Let us appreciate them, tafadhali. Ndoleri, as we usher in the Word of God. Ndoleri, hata nyinyi mtang'ang'ana na time vile hiyo kwaya imeshughulika. Mungu awabariki sana. God bless you. Hiyo ndio shule mheshimiwa Rais amejenga. Let us appreciate again, tafadhali. Karibuni. Si you chairman uwe karibu tafadhali.
Since you are present, twasema asante. Mr. President, God does not want us to stop there. God does not want you to stop there. Our school population increased significantly. Once it got a new face with your help, now our population stands at 1,400. Twasema asante. Excellency has challenges. The main two: we are in dire need of boarding facilities to accommodate learners coming from far, and we need a school bus, Your Excellency. Twasema asante. Mr. President, it is long since you visited your school, St. Marx. It is our humble request. Please come to St. Marx and see with your own eyes our progress. St. Marx will remain your school forever. Twasema asante. Last but not least, thank you, Excellency, our President, the fifth President of the Republic of Kenya, the one who made life shine. Twasema asante. Your Excellency, may the Lord continue to share his grace on you this day and all other days to come. Twasema asante. St. Marx, shule ya Rais Ruto, twatamani tumenyamaza.
Wao wapewe makofi, tafadhali. They are very clear on what they want to see. Not all the time we have the President in our service, but they have humbled it to the point and he has earned it. Na ye ni wa kusema na kutenda. Makofi tafadhali. The chairman, tafadhali kuja mbele. Let us follow the Word of God. Come.
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, Deputy President Professor Kindiki Kithure, Cabinet Secretaries present, members of Parliament and other leaders present, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Praise God. Bwana Yesu asifiwe. I read the Word from the book of John, chapter 17, verses 21 to 23. The Bible says: 'That they may all be one, even as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. The glory Thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them and Thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that Thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as Thou hast loved me.' That is the Word of the Lord.
Let us appreciate the reading, tafadhali. After the Word of God, we have a moment to offer, and during that time we have Bure Day School Choir, MCK Kedhare, and MCK Chunguro Primary presenting. At the moment, let us all sing 'Bwana sehemu yangu' as we receive the Presiding Bishop to usher into the Word of God.
The congregation sings 'Bwana sehemu yangu, rafiki yangu, wewe katika safari yangu, natembea na wewe pamoja' (Lord, my portion, my friend, in my journey I walk with you together) as the Presiding Bishop is welcomed to the podium.
We receive the Presiding Bishop this morning to nourish us with the Word of God. Welcome, Reverent Dr. John Maromba. Please take your seats.
Good morning to everybody. Bwana Yesu asifiwe. Bure at 60 years, I want to hear a big shout of hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen. Praise the Lord again. It is with great pleasure that we come here to celebrate 60 years of great work of mission and development in this school. Your Excellency, Honorable William Samuel Ruto, PhD, CGH, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces. Your Excellency Professor Kindiki Kithure, Deputy President. The Governor of Meru County, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, members of Parliament, distinguished national and county government leaders, the Principal and Board of Management of Bure Boys Senior School, the leadership of the Methodist Church in Kenya, church leaders, members of the house of Kanjani, distinguished guests, teachers and staff, parents and guardians, alumni, students, ladies and gentlemen. Within great joy and thanksgiving to God, I stand before you today as we gather to celebrate 60 years of academic excellence, discipline, and leadership at Bure Boys Senior School. 'That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.' That was the Gospel reading. This prayer, Your Excellency, reminds us that greatness is built through unity. No institution, family, church, or nation rises through individual effort alone. It takes shared vision, common values, and commitment to a greater purpose. Bure Boys Senior School stands as a testimony of what happens when the church, the government, educators, parents, and communities walk together. For 60 years, this institution has demonstrated that education is not only about passing examinations. It is about shaping character, nurturing discipline, and preparing leaders who understand responsibility. So at 60, can we sing happy birthday to the school? Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Bure! Happy birthday to you! Those who are 60 this year also deserve a happy birthday. I can see His Excellency exchanging some pleasantry. Yes, I'm not here to declare, but we wish all who are 60 a happy birthday. God bless you as you celebrate this school. For 60 years this institution has stood the test of time. The psalmist declares in Psalm 78: 'We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.' Those of us blessed to be here alive 60 years from today, to God be the glory. But to many of us, we will not see the next 60 years. And so we have reason to be happy and to celebrate because this school has been bequeathed to us by those who dreamt and those who built the first foundation. Can we give the Lord a hearty clap? The story of Bure is a story of generations: a generation that founded, a generation that grew, a generation that served, and a generation that continues the journey. As we celebrate this milestone, we honor the teachers who have sacrificed their time and talents, the parents who have invested in their children, the alumni who carry the name of this institution with pride, and the students who represent the future. Education without character can produce knowledge without wisdom. But education founded on discipline, faith, and values produces leaders who transform society. The Methodist Church in Kenya remains committed to supporting education because we believe schools are not only centers of learning but places where young people discover purpose, responsibility, and service. The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 22:6: 'Train up a child the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.' The Church in Kenya appreciates the longstanding partnership between the church and the government of Kenya in advancing education and national development. Your Excellency, may I pause to appreciate your government more sincerely for evidently supporting the church and communities in transforming education in this country. You stand as a leader who has been in the forefront in making education work for this country. The scripture in Jeremiah 29:7 says: 'Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you.' Peace is a great element to the prosperity of our nation. Led by His Excellency, let us continue to champion unity and peace, because there our future lies. We commend the government of Kenya for continuing support to the education sector and for recognizing education as a foundation for national transformation. To have His Excellency here today is a testament of commitment. We encourage the government to continue prioritizing education and investing even more in the preparation of the next generation. A nation that invests in its young people invests in its own future. The Word declares in Hosea 4:6: 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.' The values of discipline, excellence, and leadership we celebrate today are not just words on a banner. They are principles that must guide every student who walks through these corridors. Students of Bure Boys Senior School, I challenge you: do not only seek success, seek significance. Do not only aim to become people of influence, become people of integrity. Do not only ask what the nation can give you, ask what you can give to the nation. The future of Kenya will be shaped by young men and women who are courageous, compassionate, disciplined, and guided by truth. Dear students, your school and history remind you that you carry a legacy. You are standing on the shoulders of those who came before you. Honor that legacy by your conduct, your choices, and your commitment to excellence. Your Excellency, as a church we have been very concerned with the rising issues of indiscipline in schools, and we are committed to ensuring our chaplaincy department works alongside boards of management to serve our students. As we look ahead, the prayer of Christ in John 17 remains important. Unity does not mean we are identical. It means we are connected by a common purpose. Our nation needs unity. And as a church, Your Excellency, it is our commitment and calling to work alongside your leadership so that our nation remains united. Jesus' call for unity was not an option; it was paramount to him. Our nation needs unity. Our communities need unity. Our institutions need unity. Our churches need unity. When we work together, we build stronger institutions and a stronger Kenya. Your Excellency, may peace reign in this country. May unity be our common bond. As we celebrate these 60 years of success, nobody else would have fitted to have graced this occasion better than you. We remain committed as a church to the fact that without unity, even the mission of the church will be undermined. We thank your government for putting us together as a nation, and together we will build a strong Kenya where everybody has a space to flourish, so that the world may know that Jesus sent us. May God unite Kenya. May God offer this nation the grace of unity to remain strong and serve God in our generation. David reminds us that he served God in his generation. As we celebrate these 60 years, may we know that we stand at the dawn of welcoming a new era of leaders. This school stands in that space to continue that mission of unity. Ni wangapi wamebarikiwa kuwa na His Excellency pamoja na sisi? Bwana Yesu asifiwe sana! Ni wangapi wanasema tushikane mikono kama kanisa na nchi ili tuweze kuendelea pamoja? Ni wangapi wanaomba umoja wa Kenya kama vile Yesu aliomba umoja katika kanisa? Tupe Bwana Yesu makofi na shangwe! May God bless the teachers, the students, the church, and may God bless the government of Kenya and the nation of Kenya. Amen.
A very powerful sermon, very well-balanced sermon, interlinked, soul-searching, with two very powerful variables: the education and spiritual nature. Tupigieni mbio wetu wa siku ya leo makofi, tafadhali. Thank you, Presiding Bishop, for that message that has given us powerful perspective. Tafadhali, boys, kujeni mbele as we prepare ourselves to give. Boys, mko pande gani? Tafadhali, keep time. MCK Kedhare, MMF muwe mmesimama hapa. MCK Chunguru Primary School muwe mmesimama kando. 3 minutes, 3 minutes as we conclude giving. Those who are giving through M-Pesa, paybill number is 625 625 and account number is 77 00 14 68. Kama hujanishika tafadhali utaangalia the screen. Tuendelee tafadhali. Kwaya. Go to the nearest points and offer. And may God bless you. Go to the nearest. Kunao wengine wako upande upande. Kunao wako katikati. Kwaya tunawaongoja. Time zenu zikiisha, when your time expires mtajibu.
The choirs sing offering songs including 'Bwana amejibu kwa wakati, amejibu haja ya moyo, jamani Yesu amefanya, amejibu maombi' (The Lord has answered in time, he has answered the desire of the heart, indeed Jesus has done it, he has answered prayers) and 'Bwana nimerudi tena, Yesu nakushukuru, mengine sijui ila mimi Bwana nimejua umenitendea' (Lord, I have come back again, Jesus I thank you, I don't know about others but Lord I know you have done for me).
Naomba tusimame so that we can pray for the offerings. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for every gift that we have been offered today. We dedicate this offering to you. Bless every giver and use this gift to support your work and bring glory to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. May we have our seats, please. At this juncture, I welcome the Presiding Bishop again to commit the alumni to the Lord as we come to the liturgy of our service and go to the next level. Welcome, Presiding Bishop.
I now call upon all members of the alumni.
To stand where you are. I can see you are not too many. I'm sure you can fit at the front. No, no, stay where you are.
We are on page nine of our program, where it is written 'People Who Mean' — the alumni. We gather in the presence of God, the wisdom, knowledge, and every good gift. The Lord has guided us through the years. Let us begin this worship in the name of God. Let's pray.
Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of education and for all those who have contributed to its journey and heritage. As we inaugurate this alumni association, bless our gathering with unity, wisdom, and the spirit of service. May this fellowship strengthen relationships, support the growth of our school, and inspire generations to come. Guide our plans and commitments that all we do may reflect love, integrity, and excellence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Do you commit yourselves as members of this alumni association to uphold the values of this institution, promote unity, support the school, and serve with dedication? Will you work together in love, respect, and responsibility for the benefit of the school and the wider community? Gracious God, we dedicate this alumni association to you. Bless its leadership with wisdom and its members with commitment. May this association become a channel of service, mentorship, friendship, and positive transformation. May the body created today continue to grow and bring honor to this institution and glory to your name through Christ our Lord. May God continue to guide this association, strengthen the school, and bless all who have gathered here. May our shared memories become a foundation for greater service and excellence in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank you for each one of us, and at the moment I'll hand over this session to the MC of the next program. Karibu.
Let us appreciate him. Welcome. Let us also applaud the church — please give them a round of applause. Thank you very much to the pastors who shepherd us always. Honorable President Doctor William Samoi Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces. Professor Abraham Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba. All ministers present, all secretaries, Governor of Meru, all delegates who have arrived, church leaders, students, and all believers. Mr. President, with respect, let us continue with our program. I welcome the student president Runi M'atua Gitonga to begin our program of speeches. Please applaud as the school president comes to say a few words so we can continue. You're most welcome.
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, Dr. William Samoi Ruto. Deputy President Professor Kithure Kindiki. Our Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Churches of Kenya, Dr. Revered John Maromba. Cabinet Secretaries present, Members of Parliament and other leaders, beloved teachers, fellow students, parents, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen — good morning. With joy, gratitude, and humility, I stand before you as the head boy of Burer Boys High School. On behalf of the Board of Management, the administration, the students, and the entire Burer fraternity, I warmly welcome Your Excellency to our school. Your presence here today is a great honor and a historic moment that shall remain in our memories for many years. We deeply appreciate your commitment towards transforming our nation through initiatives in education, affordable housing, universal health care, digital innovation, and empowerment of the youth. Your inspiring messages of leaving no one behind and bottom-up economic transformation, and encouraging young Kenyans to work ahead and be part of the solution, continue to motivate many young Kenyans. We have also been inspired by your powerful messages on the global stage, such as at international forums and the G7 Summit, where you have consistently advocated for climate justice, fair financial systems for developing countries, and greater opportunities for African youth. Burer Boys High School is committed to excellence. We continue every day to produce many young Kenyans who are academically competitive — I repeat, academically competitive — men who are willing to contribute positively to our nation. We continue to strive so that we can compete with the great schools in our nation. But despite our achievements, Mr. President, Your Excellency, we face several challenges that limit our full potential. Firstly, we seek your support respectively towards acquiring a new school bus — our current transportation needs have greatly increased due to academic trips, co-curricular activities, and educational engagement beyond the school. Secondly, we seek your support towards establishing a modern swimming pool. This facility will enable our students to compete favorably with the best schools in our country. And because of other schools of our caliber that we compete with, we seek your support towards enabling our school to stand at its position. Your Excellency, once you do what you have promised, the students and I, as a student leader, respectively the school administration, are seeking guidance — if you help us, we promise you that Burer Boys High School will stand at its level. As a student leader, I deeply admire your resilience, determination, and remarkable journey from humble beginnings to the highest office in Kenya. Your life is a reminder that with faith, discipline, and perseverance, no dream is beyond reach. Every Kenyan, irrespective of background, can rise and reach the level where you are. Your presence here today has given me renewed hope and confidence to pursue my lifelong ambitions so that I also can make a meaningful contribution to our nation, just as you have done. In conclusion, I thank you again for honoring us with this visit — the first President in our school after six decades. This is a special request from the students: we have BOM teachers whom we love dearly, and we kindly seek if it is possible that those teachers be absorbed and employed in our school. They are not many — just about five teachers. We support you, we are with you, we love you as a father. Thank you very much for coming. May God bless our school, may God bless Kenya, and may God bless all of you.
Your Excellency, it is clear why he is the school president. I also observe that he has his source of news correct — he is following what His Excellency is doing. I don't know what his source of news is, but he has very positive news. Let us applaud him. Thank you, School President. Your Excellency, next we hear from the BOM Chair, Mr. Chris Kidokat, who will give us a brief about the school. Let us welcome him with applause.
Thank you, Excellency, our President of the Republic of Kenya, the Honorable Dr. William Samoi Ruto. Excellency, our Deputy President Professor Kithure Kindiki. With your permission, sir, you will allow me to ride on the already established protocol. Praise Jesus. Your Excellency, mine has been made very brief by the student president, so you will allow me not to repeat, because the student has spoken with the boldness of our youth, the courage and determination, and the mentorship and training going on at Burer Senior School. We really appreciate the teachers for the mentorship they continue to provide. Your Excellency, this morning I am humbled on behalf of Burer Boys High School to greatly welcome you. It has been six decades since the school was established, and therefore this celebration and your visit is a great honor. Bearing in mind Your Excellency has a tight schedule, considering Burer Senior School, it is a great honor not only for this school but for the entire Igembe region and the Meru region. Your Excellency, the school has been here 60 years, it is a C2 school, and has done extremely well. Our immediate former Member of Parliament is an alumnus of this school, and currently our Member of Parliament is also an alumnus. At the County Assembly of Meru, we have at least 10 sitting members. Please let's appreciate them. This school has produced great talent and great human resource for this country. As we celebrate 60 years, our alumni are coming back, and this is a charge and request before them. We will later in this program commission the alumni association that will take a critical step in the development of this institution. I would also like to highlight a few challenges. We greatly appreciate the support we continually receive from the Ministry of Education through Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos who is here. The school is currently staffed with 47 teachers, and as the student president noted, there is a gap. This has also been formally placed through the ministry. Secondly, the school began with 40 students and has grown to around 1,000, and you must bear with me — some resources and facilities have been stretched beyond measure. The foremost is our multipurpose hall. Your Excellency, these boys that you've heard and seen this morning — when having their meals, they are forced to eat outside. The current multipurpose hall can only accommodate 400 against a number of around 1,000. The rest of the students are outside. We kindly and humbly request your assistance in having a multipurpose hall that gives comfort and dignity to our young people and also acts as a center of worship. Secondly, we are already allocated three pathways under the CBE curriculum, and we greatly appreciate that because you've seen the product of this new curriculum — we have created a young generation able to think and articulate themselves very well. In support of that, we humbly request for an expanded space of classrooms. We are placing before you a request for 30 classes to accommodate the expansion and increase in student numbers. This will also accommodate our laboratories — biology, physics, and chemistry. Your Excellency, as I come to the end, I wish to greatly appreciate in your presence the support we continue to receive from the county government. The county government led by His Excellency Governor Mutuma, who is here with us, has greatly supported this school. One of the areas — very recently we paid a visit to request for a borehole, and I'm glad that request will be considered. We require water. As the students are asking for a swimming pool, we also need water for that. That is a request we make to our governor, and I know it's already there. We greatly appreciate your coming and look forward. We know there are processes within which schools are elevated. Within our student population, this school serves the ASAL region. From Meru, the entire Igembe and Tigania, we do not have a C1 school. As a board, we place this request before you — if it is favored this morning and the school meets the standards required, which we so believe we have met, we request that this school be elevated to C1 to serve the many students from Tigania, Igembe, and the entire country that come to this school. Thank you, Your Excellency. You are most welcome once again at Burer Boys High School.
Applause again for the Chair. Thank you very much, Your Excellency. At this point, allow me to invite the Member of Parliament, Honorable Daniel Kili, to come say a few words and also, because of time, recognize the other MPs who are present. Please come.
Thank you, thank you very much. Your Excellency the President of this Republic, Dr. William Ruto. Deputy President Excellency Kindiki. Governor, County of Meru. Cabinet Secretaries present. Area MPs who are around. Learned Presiding Bishop. And the parents and students — hamjambo? Mpo? Watu wa Igembe mpo? Wangapi wanakaribisha Excellency hapa leo? Unaambia Excellency hapa ni 'two time'? Hapa Igembe Central ni watu wanakupenda. And we are really grateful because for the last three, four years that you've been President, you've come to Igembe Central three good times. And all these times you've come, you've come to bring development. We are really grateful because there has never been a time you came to Igembe for politics — all three times you came to bring development. And as the people of Igembe, we thank you very much. I'm an alumnus of this school. I was a student here. This school is what has made me what I am and who I am. And when they requested that I invite you to come and grace this occasion, it was a heavy burden on my shoulders, and I thank God it has become a reality that you have finally landed here. Your Excellency, this school has produced the greatest leaders in this country. I think most of the engineers, doctors, professionals, and even political leaders have passed through this institution. And getting another leader to visit us again — we are truly humbled. Your Excellency, I told you about the matters of our school here called Nchunguru Primary School, the most popular school in this region with almost 2,000 students. They asked me to request at least 20 classrooms for that school. And I'm happy that you have that in your mind. I know you will say something about that school and bless us with it. Your Excellency, across here we have a TIVET institution where housing projects are continuing. That is all your work, and we thank you very much. Your Excellency, here in Igembe we have had a challenge with roads. And I thank you because for our Kore road, you gave us tarmac — the contractor is already there, has signed the contract, and will begin work soon. But we also have another road from Mlingene going to Lale. Your Excellency, if you tarmac that road, we will continue to thank you and stand with you. We have another very important road — from KK to Adero to Stenji to Njilo. That road is also very important in our economy. At Adero is where we had said we want to put affordable housing. We have 14 acres that have no development, all of which would benefit the people of Igembe if built upon. That road is important as part of the infrastructure for affordable housing. And here there have been some rumors and mischief circulating. There has never been a day you came here with development and we opposed it. We have told them here we don't want stories of discord and one-term talk here. We want stories of development and President Ruto. People of Igembe, do we agree? We agree — no one-term! Anyone who comes here with one-term talk, we point them away. We are two-term going forward, and we don't want politics of discord and lies. Your Excellency, you've heard the school's requests — everything they've cried about, you've noted it and will address it. Also, the children from St. Max in Kiutine who sang — last time the school was in bad condition, but with your own hand you gave money and we built 12 classrooms. Now they want to expand and become a boarding school, and they have a plan for September. Even if you don't come, please send someone to make that school a model boarding school. Those children at times cried for you and today I heard them singing about you, so I believe you will address that matter. Your Excellency, I don't want to speak too much — we have MPs from Meru here. Please all of you come and greet our Meru people. I'm told there's no time, so just say your name, and we'll have more time to speak outside.
Honorable members, please stand, come closer. Name.
Your Excellency, our leader, party leader, and President of the Republic of Kenya, Professor Kithure Kindiki, our Deputy President, our Governor, and all leaders present. Your Excellency, after this school president spoke, this young man has brought us down so low — I see we'll need to rise a bit through studying with this young man. Young man, thank you very much. Your Excellency, this is not our day. I just want to say the problem we have in Kenya — you have troubled those men out there, they are opposing you. Because you are in education, in roads, in housing, in water, in security — you are even leading in the church. Now these people have no other work, so all you hear is them making noise here. Your Excellency, we give you a guarantee: we are working strategically to ensure that we remain in the government today and tomorrow. Thank you for coming to this school. I was once a student at Kiriri Boys. Thank you very much, I don't have much more.
Your Excellency Dr. William Samuel Ruto, the President of the Republic of Kenya, our Deputy, the good Professor Kithure Kindiki, and all protocols observed. I am here today simply to welcome you to my village. I am really humbled and privileged for you to come and celebrate with us this 60th year with Burer Secondary, because this is my village. I really feel honored. I know we've talked one-on-one. I've articulated the needs of our county, so I need not take too long. But there is one thing I would like to repeat — this area of Igembe, and as I've said, we need school feeding programs so that at least our children can go to school, even those that are very poor in the arid areas. Secondly, my President, we just have a newly established baby technical school here, a TTI. We don't have many students yet. However, I know you take NYS students and distribute them to technical schools. I beg that you give us about 300 students in this baby TTI of ours. I need say no more. We shall talk more next time. Thank you very much.
Asante, Your Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya, our Deputy President, and the Governor of Meru — all protocols observed. Everything that has been said today by our respected President, I align with it. And as you can see, Meru today is here — this is Meru, there is no other Meru left outside. This is the reflection of Meru. Your Excellency, since we are celebrating 60 years of this school, I have a history with this school because I was in a neighboring school, and this is where I used to come for sports and copy everything that used to happen here. Your Excellency, we have a campus that you are behind, called Laikipia University campus. Since it has courses that are excellent and unique compared to other universities in Kenya, I pray, Your Excellency, that we put more effort to ensure that campus begins as you had promised by September this year, so that when students get out of this school, they can enjoy our courses in that place. Your Excellency, we are with you. And to me, I say that 10 years are longer than 5 years. As we people of Meru, because we have already taken five years with you and we are waiting for the other five to finish, we will reciprocate — we will use that five to get the opportunity in 2032, instead of just being quiet and letting someone else come in and say they want 10. Now, Excellency, we will give you the five that remains, and in 2032 you will be with us and we will put one of our own — the Excellency the Deputy President — even we want to taste that and see how things are.
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, Your Excellency the Deputy President — please allow me to ride on established protocols. Everyone is recognized. Your Excellency, we are grateful you are here today. We are grateful because you have honored this institution in celebrating 60 years. I have looked at the data — we have between 10,000 and 11,000 such schools in the Republic. If you were to give them one day of your life, you need 29 years to go around once. It's really a great honor for this school and for the people of Meru. Your Excellency, as one of those who feed this school from Tigania West, I am very honored to have you here today. Your Excellency, your physical presence here is extremely important, just as your presence in every village is important, because your projects are reverberating everywhere in the Republic. Where we come from, our people are telling us that the President is really working. We have interacted with people, and SHA has paid so much money for them — there is a lot of evidence and witnessing. Your Excellency, the youth are enjoying electrification — giving people power has really assisted young people in starting up businesses and furthering their education. Your Excellency, you are doing everywhere in this country something that has never happened before. We are so happy that these projects have started almost everywhere in Meru. The stalled projects have all started, they are moving progressively, and people are very happy and resonating with your development. So, Your Excellency, wherever you are, Meru people are saying thank you and they are telling you to move around so they can physically tell you thank you very much. To our friends in Mount Kenya West — Your Excellency, we have done a lot with them. Actually, we are the ones who voted out Gachagua with them. They even were in the leadership of their side, and we did it consciously — and our son became the Deputy President. They should be with us all through so that we support Your Excellency to go to the next term, so that our son can rise now to the highest seat of the land. This is the only time Meru has ever been where we are, and we are very grateful, Your Excellency. Thank you so much.
Your Excellency the President and the Deputy President — all protocols observed. Praise be to God. I have also come here to thank you and also to celebrate 60 years that this school has been able to reach today, and also to thank the President for coming to Igembe for development. Because, Mr. President, this Igembe — while you are President — the whole of Igembe, we have been able to see development. We have seen your hand in everything for this area and for our nation as a whole. And so, President, as representatives of these citizens, we made a pledge that the citizens who elected us — their duties are work, and that is why we are behind you. Because you are a hard worker, and when we see you, we know work will be done in our areas. Mr. President, in Igembe where I have come from, I thank you for the many works you have done there and the work that is visible to the ordinary citizen. Mr. President, we also thank you because here in Igembe you have given us a university — Igembe University Campus — and you also sent people to build hostels at that school. Your PS Inga was sent there, and we are in the process of starting to build hostels for this university. We thank you very much because that will be the only university in all of Igembe. Also, President, as you were here before with PS Mariro for the Maua Stadium, that work will be done. And let me say this — I have told my people that the government has no inheritance. When the President says work will be done, that is the direction of work. There are people who have been blocking work from being done, and I heard the authority you gave that the stadium work should be done. I assure the people of Igembe South that we are starting that stadium as you are on government land — move and give the government space to work for the citizens so they can benefit from the government they elected. Mr. President, don't be troubled by the noise of those making noise out there. These people have no plan. They don't know where Kenya should be tomorrow. These people don't understand the benefit of building a nation. And I heard they were fighting because of the money you planned so that Kenya can have funds where I can come to ask for the Igembe South road — where you can give me that money. These people are fighting the Infrastructure Fund where we want to raise 5 trillion. When we look for development, the President will have a place far away to find that work. So I tell those people they have no vision. They don't know where they want to take this nation. And those who want to tell us every day about one-term — we know the President just wants that one term so we can finish work here. Don't remind us — these are things we know. So President William Samoi Ruto, we are choosing you again so you can take this country forward. Are you ready? Are you ready to go to Singapore? This President found SHA with 8 million people. Now SHA has over 30,000, but a fool comes and tells you 30 million. The person without brains comes to tell you that if he takes over government, he should go back to the 8 million. That is a person thinking of going backward. So President, the work you are doing — the citizens see that work. The President in four years has employed over 100,000 teachers. What other president since Kenya's independence has ever employed that many teachers? But you will hear someone say because they don't have the vision to take our nation forward. So President, we are behind you, we will support you until you lead us for a second term in 2027. Will you stand with President William Ruto? President William Ruto is two-term! Those others, when they come, give them their manifesto and vision. But our President is a hard worker and we support him. Thank you very much.
Mr. President, Honorable Deputy President — all protocols observed. Mr. President, we welcome you here, and you have a 100-year debt from Kaga Boys. There we had the Presiding Bishop together with the Conference Secretary. I had invited you but you were abroad at that time. We have Methodist schools. If you see here, we are Methodist — we have 60 years. Meru Kaga Boys has 100 years. President, those years are many, and may God give us the age to live those years — the Bible says 70, Mr. President. We thank you. In Meru County, we were elected under various parties. I was elected as an independent. But I assure you, we are all together, and we say you are our leader, you are the one going forward. Also, we want — Professor, you know, from my place it's only 20 kilometers to the Professor's home. Sometimes he answers me, sometimes he doesn't. The tarmac is all there, but he is my brother. We have worked together for many years, and that is why we say he should be right there in 2032. We want to take him higher. Mr. President, the Presiding Bishop spoke about Proverbs, and I want to give you Proverbs 19:21 — I studied theology so I know the Bible well. It says: 'There are many plans in a person's heart, but the Lord's purpose will prevail.' And I am certain these opponents of yours — they are rudderless. As you said, they don't know anything, they don't even know who their leader is. So don't worry, just do the work. And I thank you — we have started the Gakoromone Market work with the Governor and his Deputy. Gakoromone Market, 1 billion, work has started, and we are advertising. That billion was for the bypass road from here to the showground and the others. What we ask you is to speak to Chirchir — Du Carageway has been in the books for seven years without money. I have spoken to the Deputy President and Honorable Chirchir — please, that should be given some money so we can start. You come and launch, put the foundation. But let me assure you — those other people have nothing to tell us. We are here and we are with you, and we are two-term. What do we say? Fire! Two! Two! And Kindiki four times! Thank you, God bless you. Thank you, Mora wa Buri.
Thank you, God bless you. Thank you very much, Mora wa Buri.
