National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has defended Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries from attacks by politicians.

The speaker said the government officials have a responsibility to explain government policies and development programs and should be left alone to do their work.

Speaking at St Gabriel Catholic Church, Mutomo in Gatundu South, Kiambu County, and Muturi maintained that the government officials are accountable to the people and must therefore enlighten the public on government affairs.

“Give them the freedom to speak about their issues. They have been given an opportunity to serve the Kenyans by the president and are therefore accountable to the people. Let us allow them to explain what it is they are doing as a government,” Muturi stated.

At the same time, Muturi called on Kenyans and leaders to uphold peace for the social-economic development of the country.

Referring to the 2007/2008 crisis that hit the nation as a result of the high appetite for constitutional reforms initiated in 2005, Muturi urged politicians to desist from dragging the country to violence through heated exchanges and insults to each other, saying the route was not only unnecessary but also risky for the nation.

He instead urged the politicians to embrace appreciating each other regardless of their different opinions, saying that peace was the only way to ensure Kenya rises above the current economic turmoil.

“Let us have differences of opinion but learn to respect each other. If we have to disagree, let us do it respectively. Those of us seeking political positions, let us sell our agendas to the people, that is what we have done and what we intend to do,” Muturi said.

He condemned the recent incidents where Deputy President William Ruto’s motorcade was stoned at Kondele in Kisumu County, saying that Kenyans must learn not to be poor students of history.

Muturi who was joined by National Land Commission commissioner Kazungu Kambi, Transport PS engineer Joseph Njoroge at the same time called out political factions that have been rooting for the formation of a national party by merging the smaller ones.

He insisted that as long as a party has been registered and has 24 branches across the country, it should be allowed to front a presidential candidate.

“No particular party is more national than the other. As long as a party has 24 branches, then it should be allowed to front a presidential candidate to sell the party agendas,” he added.

While urging the church faithful to support his presidential bid, the speaker pointed out that what Kenya was lacking in the persons seeking public offices is a lack of accountability and urged Kenyans to screen all the hopefuls for the better management of the country.

“We also have a problem of joblessness among the youth, and our intention is to provide key opportunities to all of them. We want them to come and run the government as that is what will drive this country,” Muturi said.

On his side, Kambi told off politicians disrespecting the head of state, saying that politics is not about enmity and that they should all learn to tolerate each other for the well-being of the country.