Nandi Senator Kiprotich Arap Cherargei has emphasised the importance of leaders demonstrating courage by seeking forgiveness to foster reconciliation.

Speaking on a local radio station on Thursday, May 29, 2025, Cherargei lauded President William Ruto’s recent apology to Generation Z, Tanzanians, Ugandans, and others who may have been wronged, describing it as a powerful step toward national healing.

“The courage of a leader to ask for forgiveness. I expected Kenyans to leave it at that. I don’t know whether the President needed to kneel. I believe that, as a human being, the highest you can go is to apologise,” Cherargei stated.

Accountability and justice

He argued that an apology is the highest form of accountability and urged Kenyans to accept it as a starting point for reconciliation.

However, he stressed that apologies alone are not enough.

Cherargei highlighted the need for tangible actions, such as addressing extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, and ensuring compensation for victims.

“The next step we should be looking at is to ensure there is accountability for all enforced and extrajudicial killings and possible compensation to the victims,” he said.

Cherargei also referenced a framework agreement between the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for a broad-based government, which includes addressing these issues. He advocated for justice that reconciles rather than divides, emphasising that both victims and aggressors should find closure.

“We don’t want retributive justice. We want justice that will reconcile everybody,” he noted.

Citing cases like that of Allois Cheruiyot, whose mother spoke to the media about seeking justice, Cherargei called for the fast-tracking of prosecutions related to extrajudicial killings committed by police and others.

He believes that combining apologies with accountability measures, such as prosecuting offenders and compensating victims, will bring meaningful closure.