Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party has announced that its leaders will not attend the National Prayer Breakfast scheduled for Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

Despite confirming that they had received invites for the occasion, the opposition outfit said the current political situation does not present a good environment for prayers.

“The event will dishonour God and country with a display of arrogance, superiority battles, false hopes to citizens and vitriolic post-event mischaracterization and misinterpretation of intentions by well-known Kenya Kwanza leaders. We have therefore declined the invitation to the breakfast,” Azimio said in a statement.

Azimio says that past experiences with Kenya Kwanza were also a benchmarking point in declining the invite to the event.

“The party, we believe the times require that as a country, we should approach our Creator and the Protector of our nation with honesty and humility and also talk to our people truthfully, frankly and boldly on the issues facing the nation today,” Azimio stated.

“If past events where we have shared platforms with Kenya Kwanza are to serve as guide, Azimio is convinced that the National Prayer Breakfast does not offer the environment the country needs for humility before God, honesty with citizens and respect between leaders.”

The event was initially scheduled for Wednesday, May 31, 2023, but was rescheduled to Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

Origin of National Prayer Breakfast

The first Kenya National Prayer Breakfast took place in May, 2003, shortly after President Mwai Kibaki came into office. The Prayer Breakfast Movement started in the US Congress 64 years ago.

The Prayer Breakfast Movement in Kenya, which is modelled after that of the US, dates back 30 years when a small group of men started meeting in Nairobi with the aim of ultimately starting a “National Prayer Breakfast.”

“The beauty of our faith is that we answer to an Almighty and Omnipresent God who, over the ages, has answered to prayers offered from the mansions of Kings and queens as well as those of neglected people in forgotten parts of the earth. Azimio members of parliament are however free to attend the function,” Azimio added.

The purpose of the National Prayer Breakfast is to meet, engage, interact and together pray for the nation in the company of leaders from all sectors of society.