his way, that wicked person shall die for his sin, but his blood I will require at your hand. However, if you warn the wicked person to turn from his way and he does not turn, he shall die for his sin, but you will have delivered your soul. The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm: Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. If only today you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. If only today you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.
If only today you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. If only today you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, so that you hear his voice and do not make your hearts hardened.
If only today you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs and psalms. Hear his voice; do not harden your hearts.
Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. If only today you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the wilderness, as your fathers did on the day of testing in the desert, when your fathers tested me and tried me, though they had seen my work. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.
Second reading: Love is the fulfillment of the law. A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans. My brothers, owe no one anything except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments—do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not covet, and all other commandments—are summed up in this one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel acclamation. Let us stand for the acclamation. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, 'If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.' The Gospel of the Lord.
Do you want to hear my words or the words of God? What is more important: my words or God's words? Ah, so we shall listen to the Word of God. Now I tell you, if two of you agree on anything, the Father will listen. Today, are we two or three here, or how many are we? Thousands! Truly God will hear today—it is not just two or three people, it is thousands. We are certain God will hear our voice today. And when we pray, what should we pray for today? An important thing: one day I asked an elder from Samburu—you know I have lived here for 54 years, since I came to Kenya in 1972 as a young man. I asked, 'When we pray to God, what is more important: rain or peace?' Peace. Peace comes even before rain, because without peace, even rain is in vain, right? So today we pray earnestly that God gives us peace, love, unity, and also rain. We really need rain; look, everything is dry. But I hear the government saying be ready for El Niño. It will come, and even though it might damage our roads—which are already bad—peace remains number one. So let us pray hard for peace.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself; this is the greatest commandment. There is no commandment greater than this. That is the summary of all the law. But sometimes loving means helping your neighbor have food, and it also means helping them have good character. In the first reading, we heard Prophet Ezekiel saying, 'Be a watchman for your brother.' A watchman, a shepherd. What is the work of a shepherd? It is to watch, to look out for evil and danger, and say, 'Let us be careful here; let us not do that.' You save people. In today's Gospel, Jesus says if your brother falters, tell him, 'My brother, if you do that, you will get into trouble.' Parents must tell their children, 'Young man, not that way—stay away from alcohol, drugs, miraa, roaming at night.' In Europe, sometimes parents give children everything just to avoid disturbances, and then the child gets ruined because parents don't want them to face hardship. As the saying goes, he who is not taught by his mother will be taught by the world.
You save the young man; you save the person. This prophecy is very powerful: it says if you have authority and you see things going wrong and you keep quiet out of fear, and that person or nation falls into trouble, you are responsible. You will answer before God for why you kept quiet. When I was younger, President Jomo Kenyatta told church leaders, 'You are the conscience of the society.' That means you must guard the souls of the people with the Word of God. And Jomo Kenyatta said, 'Sometimes we in government may falter, and if you in the church keep quiet, you are also responsible for our falling down. You will answer to God.' He was just repeating the Bible. So even to our government, the church speaks sometimes because we must proclaim God's word. No one is holy; we all need correction and to hear God's word. When you hear words from bishops, priests, church leaders, or Muslims, listen—we want to save our brothers and our nation.
I remember years ago—and I know elections will be coming in 2027—there was trouble in our country. We started arguing and fighting because of politics, and we saw the fire and trembled. May God have mercy on us. Next time, we don't want that; we want peaceful elections, respecting one another—Kikuyu, Samburu, Pokot, Somali. There is no tribalism; we are one chosen nation. That is the law: if you do not love your neighbor, you do not love God. Saint John said, 'How can you love God whom you have not seen if you hate your brother?' When you leave church and insult others, God will not hear your prayers, because love of God and love of neighbor go together. So let us pray today that God grants us faith, peace, and unity. Praise Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us reflect in silence on the teachings and homily of the Bishop.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Now it is time for the prayers of the faithful. Those leading prayers, please come forward. Lord God, we thank you today for calling us here in South Horr beneath Mount Nyiro, the holy mountain of God. Please, God our Father, hear our prayers and grant us peace and unity. We thank you for all our gifts and ask for a spirit of gratitude, through Christ our Lord. Let us pray: Lord, hear our prayer. Welcome for the prayers.
Prayer for peace: Our God, we give thanks on this day. Thank you for another opportunity you have granted us to gather here. Father, we thank you knowing that it is by your power that all this has happened. We pray for our Kenya, that you may grant her peace, unity, and love, so that those who lead us may lead with the love of Almighty God. Let us pray. Lord, hear our prayer.
Prayer for our departed: Almighty Father, we bring our departed before you, that you may receive them into your kingdom and forgive their sins. Let us pray. Lord, hear our prayer.
Prayer for families: Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of family and life that you have bestowed upon us. We ask you to grant us love and patience. Protect our families against all dangers, diseases, and evil influences. Let us pray. Lord, hear our prayer.
Prayer for our parishes: Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for our parishes and all of us for being here today as one family in Christ. I pray for our bishop, Lord, may you bless our former bishop and our current bishop, all our priests, our religious leaders, and all of us parishioners. Lord, help our church to be a place of prayer, unity, love, and faith in your service and forgiveness. I also pray, Lord, may you bless all our activities in our parishes and our ministry, that they may serve to praise your name. Let us pray.
Let us also pray that our Mother Virgin Mary Consolata may protect us and grant us blessings. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. God our Father, receive all our prayers, through Christ our Lord.
It is now time for the offertory. Please remain seated where you are, as there are ushers appointed to move around collecting your offerings. Thank you, choir. For those giving their offerings via mobile money, the Paybill numbers are displayed on the screen. Please give your offering through the Paybill numbers shown.
What shall I offer, Lord, for all your goodness? Receive everything we bring before you, Father, with a pure heart.
Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
O God, source of true worship and peace, grant that by this offering we may give fitting honor to your majesty and by partaking of this sacred mystery be united in faithful dedication, through Christ our Lord. Amen. The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord. For through the mystery of Easter, he accomplished a marvelous work, freeing us from sin and death to be called a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own possession. You called us out of darkness into your marvelous light to proclaim your wonders everywhere. Therefore, with angels and archangels, thrones and dominions, and all the hosts of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory without end.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Let us prepare our hearts, for Jesus comes as our guest of honor in our midst; let us receive him with faith. Lord Jesus Christ, truly holy and fountain of all holiness, sanctify these gifts by the power of your Spirit, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: 'Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.'
In a similar way, after supper, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, gave it to his disciples, saying: 'Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.' Let us proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Therefore, Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the death and resurrection of your Son, we offer you the bread of life and the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you. Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. Remember, Lord, your Church spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with our Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy. Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy; welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on us all, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with Saint Joseph, the Apostles, and all the saints, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever. Amen.
At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you; look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen. The peace of the Lord be with you always. And with your spirit. Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
For communion, there will be a priest on this side for those under this tent, and on the other side for the other tent. Another priest will be over there for dignitaries. There is no need to cross over; a priest will be near you to administer Holy Communion.
I welcome you, Jesus, into my heart; feed me with the bread of life, the spiritual drink that purifies the soul.
Having received the holy Body and Blood of Christ, let us spend a moment in silence, reflecting on the Body of Christ we have received and how it should transform our lives so that we may be good Christians after this Mass.
Let us stand and pray. O Lord, you have nourished your faithful and renewed them at the table of your Word and heavenly sacrament. Grant that through these excellent gifts of your beloved Son, they may always share in his life, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Now for the final blessing, from Bishop Emeritus Gilli. The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. May Almighty God bless you: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We have concluded the Mass. Please be seated. With the permission of the President, we will transfer the remaining consecrated hosts to the church altar. A seminarian will accompany the driver. Afterwards, I will return the microphone to the MC to guide us through the next part of the program.
Praise Jesus Christ. Our chief guest, Your Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, Principal Secretaries, Senators, Members of Parliament, national and county leaders, all religious leaders, Christians, and all the people present here in South Horr: praise Jesus Christ.
I take this brief opportunity to give a short description of what we do at South Horr Parish. First, our church was founded in 1961, and the initial work here involved opening schools—missionaries opened around nine schools. They also initiated healthcare through a dispensary that still works alongside the government today. Around the mountain, they supplied water to all nine villages, which they still rely on today. Now, local Samburu priests have taken the helm. It is challenging work, but we are very grateful to our government. My vehicle serves for ministry, medical emergencies, and supporting education. I extend special gratitude to Your Excellency the President for the community health insurance program. Many local people face hardship because they lack awareness or registration for healthcare cover, but as a priest, I can now arrange ambulances and help them through the system without hospital bills.
Since 1964, our Catholic parish has sponsored 768 children, including our Principal Secretary whom we celebrate today—he was educated through this church, and we are proud of him. Thank you, Mr. President, for appointing a son of this soil. Our current challenge is sustaining these missionary initiatives. Over the past decade, we established the Shepherd School to provide flexible education for children who herd livestock during the day, using small food incentives to keep them learning. So far, we have transitioned 167 children into formal schooling. Today, I humbly request our President's support for a self-reliance project—specifically a local petrol station, as the nearest one is in Baragoi, 48 kilometers away—to fund and sustain our feeder school and community programs. We also request support with water for Baragoi Boys. Thank you, Mr. President; you have our prayers.
Let us applaud the church for leading us so well today. Thank you very much, His Excellency the President, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces; Defense Cabinet Secretary Roselinda Soipan Tuya; our host Principal Secretary Michael Lenasalon and his family; Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit; Council of Governors Chair Ahmed Abdullahi; all visiting governors, MPs, church leaders, national and county officials, and all guests gathered to celebrate our brother. Before I invite Principal Secretary Michael Lenasalon to speak, the elders noted that he has reached the age grade to be installed as an elder. I invite the elders forward for a brief traditional ceremony so that he may speak as an elder of this community.
The elders are now clothing Principal Secretary Michael Lenasalon in traditional attire that signifies his status as an elder. He faces the sacred mountain that brings blessings to this region, and he is given a ceremonial drink in accordance with custom.
Mr. President, with your permission, we wish to perform this short cultural blessing ceremony for this young man.
Let us give them a round of applause as they conclude the ceremony. Thank you very much, elders. Now I invite our host, Principal Secretary Michael Lenasalon, to address us. Please give him a warm welcome.
The President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, Members of Parliament, Principal Secretaries, all leaders, and fellow citizens: how are you all? Your Excellency, we are delighted today to celebrate my thanksgiving service and to express gratitude for your appointment of me as Principal Secretary for the State Department for Devolution. This day is particularly special because you graciously accepted our invitation to grace this occasion after three months of anticipation. I thank everyone for joining us, including the Catholic Church that educated me.
Your Excellency, my story is no different from that of any child in this compound today. I was in their exact shoes years ago, and I share this not for sympathy, but to show young people struggling today that it is possible. I was born on the slopes of Mount Nyiro around 1988 into a family of means at the time. However, barely three years after my birth, my mother passed away due to childbirth complications. Since we lived in an outlying village and I needed to attend school without my mother, my father took me on foot to my grandmother in Baragoi in 1991. Around 1993, he decided to bring me back to South Horr, and we walked the entire distance from Baragoi day and night before enrolling me at South Horr Primary School.
I deeply respect this elder, my father, and his brother Lekupe. Because my father lived far away and my mother was gone, I was fostered by several families, including the Lembila and Lekupe families here in South Horr. Growing up without a mother was difficult—no one cares for a child like a mother, and at times basic necessities were scarce. But thanks to the generosity of the Lekupe and Lembila families, I was able to survive and continue my schooling through 1999.
This is my father. He remembers when the President called him and said, 'You are Terere Lekupe.' When asked whether they supported Ruto or the opposition, they firmly backed Ruto. You told him, 'Just do your work there,' and that has been the story.
Your Excellency, these elders belong to the Gichili age group, born in the 1940s. During the years I spent here, the Catholic Church was essentially our local administration before devolution, managing water, health, and education alongside national authorities. I express immense gratitude to the sponsor, Eltrud Ludwig, who financed the education of 80 to 90 percent of scholars and professionals from Marsabit and Samburu, including myself, all the way to university. In 1999, after class five, when deciding where to host this thanksgiving, the people of Baragoi, South Horr, and Kurungu all claimed me. I decided to host it right here in South Horr so the President could see everyone together. I also thank Chief Lenasalon, who arranged local transport for me when I was struggling as a boy to reach my relatives in Baragoi.
Marios Lerugum and his family. Where is Marios Lerugum? He is now the sub-county head education officer from the ministry. And my maternal uncles are Longele. I am Masula. My maternal uncles are Longele, all these Lanayara here, Leseto, they are my maternal uncles. When I sought blessings multiple times, I called upon them because the Samburu say a sister's child is like butter placed on the hand under the sun; they are second from God. If they speak ill of you, you melt away. So I don't even like talking about their matters; I just keep quiet and humble myself before them, respecting them. Marios Lerugum took me in when he was just a classroom teacher, and now he was the county CEO of education during Lenolkulal's time, and now he went back to the ministry. He is also blessed because of how he supported me.
So I would like to thank these uncles of mine. Mr. President, from there I went to high school, then to university via Catholic University of Eastern Africa. And there at the university, I was a student leader; I was the first elected student leader of the Samburu University Students Association. From there, I went to KRA. And here I would like to recognize the Honorable Lesuuda. When my history is written, the name Lesuuda will be there, because she is the one who held my hand so that I could reach here. That is how I went to work at KRA. She told me, 'Apply for this job, apply for this, apply for this,' and I got that job at KRA. First, I was called for two interviews: NIS and KRA, but I went to the KRA one as God had planned.
Mr. President, after staying there for a while, I met the Leseto family and Lekupe, who was also a former CEC during Lenolkulal's time, and they sponsored me. They love me very much because I was raised by the community, and I love all people. They took me to the National University of Ireland to pursue my master's degree. And that is why, Mr. President, sometimes I even disagree with my father: when I take food back home, I invite the whole village, and he asks why I don't just bring it to him alone. Because of the way I was raised, my heart is shaped in such a way that I belong to everyone. But I also ensure his life is good, and he just says he wants cattle. Don't look at him like that; I just wanted him to live his life among fellow elders, and I cannot remove him from among them.
Therefore, Mr. President, I have also served as the secretary of the Samburu Professionals Association, and our former chair was Anthony Lanayara. I served as the secretary before I even became a PS. Along that journey, while at KRA, I found another family of mine, my cousins from the Lesepe family. The young men who guarded Farouk—these are police officers who said, 'I have studied; I come from their aunt's Lesepe family.' These officers served behind Farouk for many years, and then they were transferred to Suleiman, staying with Suleiman for many years, and now with Junet Mohamed because they are loyal. Their father passed away about one and a half to two years ago, and I drew parental care from him. There was such a strong parental presence in that family that we felt it even at the periphery.
So I would also like to thank that elder posthumously. And during the time I applied for the PS job, they were telling Junet Mohamed, 'Ask where that job has reached.' He said, 'The one making decisions in this country is the president. Therefore, the God you pray to, pray that the president's pen marks your name. I have no say.' And indeed, that is how it happened. I remember it was during Ramadan, and he said he would also pray for me. So I would like to thank that elder. But above all, I would like to thank the President. Because at times others were saying, 'Bring that young man first so the President can see him,' thinking maybe he would deny me the job because of my physical appearance, or maybe because of where I come from, or because I come from Samburu North—since I am now the third PS, whereas previous ones came from Maralal and wealthy backgrounds.
I said I wouldn't attend that meeting, but in his wisdom and good heart, the President ensured that I was appointed, and I say thank you. Looking at my journey, I also see the hand of God, because surviving that entire journey clearly shows there is God's hand. These elders always say I am a child of prophecy, though they have never told me why; you will tell me now that I have become an elder. And it is wonderful that this has happened during the administration of President William Samoei Ruto, our boss. In brief, so as not to waste time, Mr. President, serving the citizens is something I have embraced with all my heart. Just as I was raised by everyone, I treat everyone equally. I consider the resources entrusted to me as public resources that require stewardship.
I am ready to continue holding on under your mentorship, and I also want to recognize our Head of Public Service. He listens to us; I write letters to him, he presents them to the President, and the President approves, which is why he is also here. So, Head of Public Service, wherever you are, I appreciate you. Mr. President, I have conducted many consultations across communities, but I won't go into all of them because you understand better and will explain to us. But I would like to say I see the boundary of Marsabit right here. My wife is here; she comes from Hula, she is Rendille. My uncles, the Hargura family, are also Rendille. My father is Samburu, and my mother's family is Lerugum. Your Excellency, I also have another family here from Lodwar: Honorable Namuar, MP for Lodwar Central, whose great-grandmother belongs to the Lenasalon clan. He came with 20 elders just to see their son have a great day.
So with those few words, Mr. President, I would like to conclude and say I am grateful. I thank God for allowing me to meet the President. And this mountain here is Mount Nyiro. I hear there is another mountain elsewhere. This mountain belongs to God, and that other mountain belongs to God. Is one mountain greater than another when all belong to God? None. So, Mr. President, today we give you not half a mountain; we give you the entire mountain. And it will be written. We will wait and see because I know you fight on the side of victory. You are already victorious, and you should move forward with that.
Now I would like us to move to the leaders' segment and invite the Honorable Eli Letipila to come and say a few words, and while here, recognize the other leaders present. Please let us applaud him as he comes forward.
Your Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, our people of South Horr, fellow Christians, leaders, Cabinet Secretaries, governors, MPs, and all our people gathered here: Praise Jesus Christ. Mr. President, this is Mount Nyiro, and I know you are not a stranger here, Your Excellency. First, Your Excellency, we have members of parliament here whom I would like to invite to introduce themselves. I would like to start—you know we are here with the Minority Leader, my brother Junet Mohamed. Protocol advises me to invite the MPs to come forward, including our senator. Welcome, please give them a round of applause. I have been asked to give them one minute each to introduce themselves and greet you. Please, go ahead.
Thank you very much, my brother. Thank you, Mr. President, Cabinet Secretaries present, MPs, together with PS Lenasalon, and the people of Samburu. My name is Joseph Namuar, Member of Parliament for Turkana Central in Lodwar. People of Ekeria, Mata... Mr. President, as PS Lenasalon stated, I have ancestry here at Mount Nyiro; I am the fifth generation. I slept here for two days recently before he was appointed as PS in 2024, to trace the roots of where my great-grandmother came from. Thank you.
Please give Honorable Namuar a round of applause.
Mr. President, all invited guests, the church, the people of South Horr, and the entire Samburu County, how are you? How are you once again? Mr. President, I welcome you together with all the guests to Samburu, and we thank you very much for this opportunity because you made this appointment. We are deeply grateful for counting the Samburu people, especially those from areas so far from central Kenya. We thank you very much for appointing our young man. Thank you also for all the others you appointed, Mr. President. This is a time when we Samburu feel counted in Kenya. We thank you so much for the immense development we have seen in Samburu County. Other areas used to celebrate, but under your presidency, we are counted and very happy.
I only request that for our road from Maralal coming to this area—Mr. President, we apologize for arriving late today, but we left Maralal at night because the road is bad. I know you have already allocated funds; we just ask that you continue increasing them so the road reaches South Horr. On the forest issue, Mr. President, where we are standing is forest land, but because of your good leadership, I know you will adjust that boundary so that the people of South Horr can pursue their development without disruption. Mr. President, we love you, and we assure you as Samburu leaders that come 2027, the presidential vote here is two terms complete. In fact, we don't even know who is competing against you. And we pray to God no one comes, because up to now, if you ask these elders and women who they will vote for as president, they all say 'Ruto complete.' They might not know Swahili well, but they know 'complete.' All Samburu leaders, even those not in UDA, say Ruto is complete. Don't listen to propaganda; we are all behind you. God bless you, thank you very much.
Applause for Honorable Pauline. Welcome, Honorable Leuton.
Thank you, Your Excellency, and the citizens of South Horr. Mr. President, we thank you very much for visiting us and serving as the guest of honor for our young man from South Horr. My words are few: you know we are steadfast and fully supportive. Your Excellency, you know that you have done a lot for this country, and whoever does not see the work Honorable Ruto has done, we don't know what they see. He has done an enormous job—a man who never sleeps, always on the road working for this country, and I think Kenyans should really appreciate that. Thank you very much, God bless you.
Thank you, Honorable Member. Your Excellency, where we are standing, this side of the road is Laisamis constituency represented by Honorable Leuton. He and I share this boundary between Laisamis and Samburu North constituency, and we work together. We are all behind you. Welcome, Honorable Lemonari.
Thank you very much. Your Excellency, I say welcome to Samburu. Citizens of South Horr, how are you? If anyone doesn't know me, I am Lekumontare, MP for Samburu East. Your Excellency, we thank you for this young man and all the others you have given opportunities in your government. As Samburu leaders, we will hold your hand, Your Excellency. Do not worry; here in Samburu County we will support you, because we know when you return you will continue holding our hand. For this young man whose appointment we celebrate today, we promise to support you, and when God brings you back, continue holding his hand while we remain behind you.
One more thing, Your Excellency: where I represent Samburu East, the people asked me to send you greetings. They asked me to thank you for the development you have accomplished and for ongoing projects like the Lerata road; Your Excellency, we are still waiting on that road. In Samburu East, Your Excellency, we also have drought challenges. We currently face drought, and the government continues to provide food aid. We ask that we continue collaborating. Regarding the slight insecurity issues where we still lose lives, we ask you as leaders to help us further. It has reduced, but even as we speak, there are people in the mortuary due to insecurity. Thank you, Your Excellency, we appreciate you and say thank you.
Applause for the Senator.
Mr. President, church, leaders, citizens: greetings. I also have deep gratitude, Mr. President. We give thanks for this young man who has shared his story with us. We are grateful, and we also thank you for the many others working in your government. We say thank you because many Samburus have received opportunities to serve Kenyans and the Samburu people. We thank you, Mr. President, not only for uplifting this young man from humble beginnings, as we heard his story, but also because you have remembered us in healthcare. As the priest mentioned, health was a major challenge across Kenya and especially here in Samburu. We thank you because we leaders have seen our people receive help.
We thank you, Mr. President, for development and for the employment of many individuals. As Samburus, we now have CEOs, commissioners, and parliamentary leadership. We are thankful for the development reaching Samburu North; we see roads coming here and extending to Samburu East. I thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership. As Samburu leaders, we have resolved to stand firmly behind you and support you alongside our people. We have decided to remain united; you will not find any of us straying from you. We thank you and will give you our full support. Thank you very much, and may God bless you.
Applause for the Senator. Applause for Honorable Naisula to come and speak. Welcome, Honorable.
Thank you very much, Honorable Member. Your Excellency the President, all leaders present, the church, all our people of Samburu County, and friends who have come, I greet you in Jesus' name. How are you? Eserian pokin, ejoka, morega. Thank you very much, Your Excellency. We are very happy that you took time from your busy schedule to be with our young man here and stand with him—to stand with a young man from South Horr despite your heavy schedule today. Your Excellency, we thank you very much. Even though he looks young, he is not small in mind; he runs the State Department for Devolution exceptionally well.
Your Excellency, very quickly: when you hear everyone saying 'all of us, all of us,' they mean me, because I was among the last to join. Some people enter the house first. I was in Azimio, and my colleagues here like Leuton put pressure on me daily; my sister Soipan put pressure on me. It is because of the work you have done for Kenyans. I really appreciate how you always say that in Kenya, we must sell our policies and see the actual work someone has done. In Samburu they say 'Kamer naake sepat nikae'—truth speaks for itself. We have seen the truth: we have seen your work on SHA. You know I am one of its greatest proponents, not for political favor, but today even the priest testified that SHA is working. In Samburu, SHA has helped our referral hospital.
So we thank you. Thank you for giving our young man Lanayara that job; he is doing a great job, and we work together. Thank you for appointing Simpeazi as CEO, for Kenyatta, and for appointing Lekolol as CEO. Your Excellency, thank you for all the other appointments you have given us and many others not present here. In conclusion, Your Excellency, whatever doubt you had thinking this lady alone was not with you—from today, know that we are together to move Kenya forward, push the wheel ahead, and ensure all of Samburu is behind you. Thank you, and God bless you. I cannot finish without addressing security in Samburu West. The last time you visited Baragoi, you promised action, and truthfully, insecurity incidents have dropped since then. Samburu say give credit where it's due: since you took office, we generally have peace, and the Ministry of Interior has put measures in place. But as you return to Nairobi today, please reinforce those measures; our people have died, and even today we were burying someone. Losing even one life is too much.
Your Excellency, you champion education. My people of Samburu West educate their children. I believe only two things can move us forward: the church and education, and you champion both. Lastly, regarding capitation: I sit on the Budget Committee, Your Excellency, and during your tenure, capitation arrives in schools on time. I can attest to that as an MP, because sometimes it's easy to lie just to be popular. Continue doing what you are doing for Kenya. On security in Samburu West, wipe away the tears of those living in settlement schemes like Lorora. Children are not attending school, and diseases are rampant. Return our people home so they can farm and take their children to school. Thank you, Your Excellency.
Thank you very much, Honorable Lesuuda. Applause for Honorable Lesuuda. Applause. Thank you very much, Your Excellency. The leaders who have spoken here have spoken the truth. We all thank you, Your Excellency, for recognizing us as pastoralists and for recognizing our young man by giving him this opportunity. We have had only three PSs since Kenya's independence: Honorable Lesirma, Honorable Lesiyampe, and now my brother Michael Lenasalon. Your Excellency, we thank you very, very much. I know you recognized his diligence, which is why you traveled all the way here for his thanksgiving. All our people here, including the elders who blessed him and his father whom you called, ask you not to let go of this young man.
On behalf of the people of Samburu North, I say this: you know today we are in church, and of the ten lepers Jesus healed, only one returned to give thanks. Your Excellency, our one son from Samburu North has returned to say thank you. That is how we people of Samburu North are—give us one more! Your Excellency, I won't tell you idle stories; we are with you 100%, 100% with you. Whatever other political dynamics happen in Samburu County, we are 100% with you because since independence, Samburu North never had hope of seeing tarmac. You opened the way for us, and tarmac has commenced from Maralal coming to Baragoi—isn't that true?
Your Excellency, on electricity, there are four mini-grids: one in Tum, one in Latak, another in Barsaloi, and another right here. We have never seen such work under any leader since independence. Your Excellency, you have supported us in water projects. Where my brother Mike comes from, in Longewan, as a government MP—you know I am a UDA MP and will remain in UDA—we have seen about four or five mega-dams in Samburu North, with two more on the way. We request the Longewan dam and the Lomerok dam, which are in government plans, and we know you will deliver. On our road from Morijo to South Horr, the tarmac has begun, and the Maralal section is underway. When a leader delivers, we rejoice because these were in my manifesto, and I am proud because you held my hand. When I speak about my manifesto, I include the name Ruto. If the President has done all this for us, what kind of people would we be not to reciprocate? People of Samburu North, will we reciprocate or not?
People of Samburu North, will we reciprocate or not? Show by a show of hands if you will reciprocate! When I say Ruto, you say...
When I say Ruto, you say...
Why aren't they chanting Ruto? Ruto!
Your Excellency, it is not just me saying it; Samburu North has spoken. Lastly, before I sit down: when you visited us in Baragoi, you declared that Nyiro would be recognized as a sub-county, which brought joy to this entire mountain and Samburu North. Even if nothing else earned you votes from this mountain, that alone secures their votes. Isn't that true? And that is the applause for Nyiro sub-county—why don't I hear applause for Nyiro sub-county? Dr. William Samoei Ruto is a man of action. He says anyone competing with him must compete on track record, and his track record is development. In the upcoming politics, let us judge leaders by deeds; if someone comes seeking votes without a plan, they should return where they came from.
Thank you, Mr. PS, for inviting us to your function. I would like to take this special opportunity to invite my brother, the Minority Leader in Parliament and a leader in the broad-based government. You heard that Junet Mohamed had a hand in PS Lenasalon's appointment. Where is the applause for Honorable Junet? Where are the hands for Honorable Junet? Applaud until he tells you to stop.
Welcome, Honorable Junet. Thank you. Samburu, God bless you. Thank you. Your Excellency, the President of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, Governor of Samburu, fellow governors, fellow MPs, Cabinet Secretary Madam Soipan, and the people of Samburu at large, how are you? How are you once again? My name is Junet Mohamed. I am the Member of Parliament for Suna East in Migori, and I am among Baba's followers who remain here, now led by President Dr. William Samoei Ruto.
Mr. President, first I want to take this opportunity to thank you for appointing the young man named Michael Lenasalon. Mr. President, as you heard him speak, he expressed gratitude and spoke about all the families—Lesepe, Lenasalon, Lekupe—but he forgot one major family in Kenya: the ODM family. He forgot because he was also part of that family. Mr. President, when you formed the broad-based government and invited our party ODM—which you originally helped establish—to join your government following your agreement with Baba, and asked us to submit names for appointment, the ODM party brought you Michael Lenasalon to be PS, among others I see here. We are grateful as a party. For those claiming ODM is not in government: if we are appointing PSs and ministers through the President, what else would you call government? We are the government.
Now, Mr. President, the ruling coalition consists of UDA and ODM. No one should claim UDA is the sole government; ODM is also in government. There is one president and two main parties: President William Ruto, with UDA and ODM making up the government. All our supporters across Samburu who voted for Baba are now together in this broad-based government, and in 2027 we will vote for President William Samoei Ruto for his second term. That is the message I brought to Samburu. You know Baba was deeply loved here; in past elections we might not have won the MP seat, but we always won the presidential vote. All those votes previously cast under ODM will now go to President William Samoei Ruto.
Mr. President, when I traveled here, I thought we were entering Ethiopia. Coming all the way from Migori—when you visited my constituency in Ngege, I thought you had reached the remotest part of the country. But seeing the President reach here proves nothing is impossible; I don't think any other past Kenyan president would have taken the time to visit a place like this. Congratulations, Mr. President, for coming here, which enabled us to visit South Horr today; otherwise, I would have just remained in Migori. Secondly, Your Excellency, as we approach elections, ODM cannot align with directionless people holding endless hotel meetings. One of them travels to America waiting to receive a dream dictating who their candidate will be. They took Baba through that in 2013 and 2017—going to hotels in Naivasha, Mombasa, Samburu Lodge, and even Zanzibar looking for a candidate. We have outgrown that. Searching for candidates in hotels instead of engaging citizens leads straight to defeat and post-election lamentations.
God has granted us clarity: ODM already has an early candidate in William Ruto. Those who used to take us in circles are still at it—some walking around in kitenge claiming to have followers while locking people in hotel meetings for decades, others with nothing substantive to offer. I thank God for delivering us from that confusion. Your Excellency, in Kenya, two demographics have often been overlooked: pastoralists and fisherfolk. I represent both groups. In 2027, these two groups will determine who becomes President of Kenya. Some people assume pastoralists lack votes or aren't real Kenyans. I urge pastoralists to register to vote in large numbers, because 2027 will affirm our rightful place as equal Kenyans. Some think their votes are superior to others; they feel justice, equity, and equality are an injustice to them. This country belongs to everyone, and resources must be shared.
When the President allocated positions to ODM—14 or 15 PSs—he gave a condition that appointments must reflect every part of the country, not just one or two communities. We selected people from every county; that was his condition for the ODM list. That is the inclusive country the President envisions, where every community receives its fair share without discrimination. We in ODM have struggled in the political wilderness for years; we cannot go back to struggling. Baba said he was taking us to Canaan, and right now we are passing through Singapore on our way there. No one has endured more political struggles in Kenya than ODM supporters. Now, the very people who refused to vote for Baba and ensured Raila did not become president are telling me, Junet Mohamed, to join them in removing William Ruto to form an imaginary government. Why leave an actual government for uncertainty when I am already in government?
A small faction has stayed behind defending their sponsor—the former president. I only defended Raila; I won't defend anyone else. I want to remain in government. We were promised votes for years without results. In conclusion, Your Excellency, with UDA and ODM united alongside all other Kenyans, I don't see any real contest; you will win decisively. Combining Baba's seven million votes with your seven million leaves no doubt. We thank you deeply for appointing our person as PS. Since independence, Samburu North had never seen a Finance Minister visit, but today we sit together discussing national matters because William Samoei Ruto unlocked those doors. I see an Orange cap here; let us combine it with the Yellow cap to ensure a 100% vote for our President in Samburu County. Thank you, and God bless you.
I served with the Governor in Parliament, and Letipila also works with us in Parliament. During the last election, I sat with Letipila and asked him to run on ODM, but he ended up on your vehicle; however, God has now brought us into the same vehicle. He is very capable and assists us tremendously on the Finance Bill and Budget. Samburu North, thank you for sending us such a valuable leader. God bless you.
Is that the only applause for Junet after he praised me? Applaud Junet! Your Excellency, there are one or two things I almost forgot. I am the voice of these people, and if I sit down after the President visited Samburu North without voicing what they sent me to say, they will reprimand me later. Your Excellency, Father Shali is my good friend; he has invited me three times for fundraisers for his out-of-school program, and we have raised funds to help those students. Your Excellency, please support Father Shali; I endorse his appeal for the church and for water at St. Paul and Joseph Bahawa School. I am renovating their dormitory, though private, but please assist them with water.
Your Excellency, regarding our road from Morijo to South Horr: the contractor was awarded Morijo to Baragoi, and this is a 50 km extension. The road is rough—you experienced it driving from Nyiro Boys to here. On behalf of our people, please construct this road. You are serving two terms regardless, but you saw the condition firsthand; pregnant mothers travel that road daily. We thank you, Your Excellency. Thirdly, where my brother Mike comes from in Longewan, please graciously provide an administration block and a Junior Secondary School classroom. Longewan suffers acute thirst; while water exists uphill, the lowland is arid. Please address their water needs.
Finally, Your Excellency, youth empowerment is central to your agenda. Our youth have benefited from NYOTA and the Hustler Fund. I am currently building an ICT hub here under your initiative. On the government forest initiative: these mountains are a major water tower in Kenya. If you support our youth to plant trees on these mountains, it will conserve the forest and create jobs. Under the housing and forest program, ensure those tree-planting jobs are carried out right here. For our boda boda youth, please extend economic empowerment to them just like in other constituencies. Lastly, as we traveled from Nyiro Mixed, the school requested a bus which I agreed to fund through CDF, but a neighboring school will also need transport; kindly assist Nyiro Mixed with a bus. Those are my requests on behalf of Samburu North. Thank you. I now invite my uncle, Governor Lati Lelelit, to come greet the people and invite the other governors.
I always know you are my uncle, but you never acknowledge I am yours—that's the issue! Before I speak, I see police officers blocking people outside. These people came to listen to the President. Jump over the fence and come inside! Everyone come in, let them enter! Police, step aside, these are the President's people; let everyone come through the gate or over the fence. Come, come, everyone! Who arranged police to block people? Bring the people in; everyone wants to listen to who?
The President of Kenya. Let us say two terms.
