Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) nominated Senator Crystal Asige has critiqued the apology issued by President William Ruto at the National Prayer Breakfast hosted by the National Assembly at Safari Park Hotel on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
Taking to her official X account on the night of Wednesday, May 28, Asige argued that apologies should not come in the form of a word salad.
The lawmaker further stated that the best apology is a changed behaviour, which she says is yet to be seen.
She also said that she did not attend the event because her spirit would not allow it.
“No, I didn’t attend today’s National Prayer Breakfast; my spirit wouldn’t allow it. I may not be able to quote King James front to back, and I am certainly no preacher, but this one thing I do know: apologies shouldn’t come in the form of a word salad. In fact, the best apology is changed behaviour – and that is yet to be seen,” Asige stated.
Ruto’s apology
The event saw President Ruto extend a public apology to Gen Z for atrocities meted out on them in the recent past.
He also implored them to focus on unity and shun faulting the government.
During the National Prayer Breakfast meeting, the Head of State told Gen Z, who since June last year have been critical of his administration over unfulfilled government pledges, that it’s time to build bridges across all generations.
Gen Z protests
The Gen Z youth have confronted significant socio-political challenges, culminating in widespread protests against the 2024 Finance Bill, which proposed substantial tax increases amidst a high cost of living.
The government’s response involved heavy-handed tactics, including the use of live ammunition, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries, as well as reports of abductions and enforced disappearances of activists .
“We want to apologise if there is anything to our children; if there is any mistake, we apologise to our neighbours. If there is any mistake that we have done, you know, we want to build the relationship that will make our country great and will take us home and to each and every one of us,” the President said.
President Ruto urged Kenyans to shift focus from fault-finding to building bridges, lauding the broad-based government which ushered the opposition wing led by Raila Odinga into the Kenya Kwanza regime, emphasising it will transform the nation.
“We now have a broad-based government that brings us more people, more citizens, more into one ecosystem that we can plan together; we can work together for the greater good of our nation… I want to paraphrase to say that the word of God tells us how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to live together in unity,” he noted.
