Farmers Party leader Hon. Kimani Ngunjiri has called on Kenyan political leaders to stop abusing or disrespecting former President Uhuru Kenyatta, warning that political disagreements should never degenerate into personal attacks.
Speaking in Kirinyaga during the burial of the father of former Justice Minister Martha Karua, Ngunjiri urged politicians to remember Kenya's political history and the relationships that have shaped the country's leadership over the years.
He said political alliances may change, but that should not erase the respect owed to individuals who have played significant roles in Kenya's political journey.
Ngunjiri particularly invoked the relationship between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, noting that the two were at different times political associates and worked together in the country's leadership.
His message appeared aimed at a growing culture of political confrontation in which leaders increasingly resort to insults and personal attacks against their opponents and former leaders.
According to Ngunjiri, Kenya's political maturity should be measured not by how fiercely politicians attack one another, but by their ability to disagree while preserving dignity, respect and national cohesion.
“We can disagree politically without abusing one another. Let us respect our leaders, our history and, above all, protect the peace of our country.”
The Farmers Party leader said political differences should never become an excuse for humiliating individuals or rewriting history for short-term political gain.
His intervention also comes against the backdrop of increasingly heated political rhetoric as parties and political formations begin positioning themselves ahead of the next general election.
For Ngunjiri, however, competition for political power should not come at the expense of Kenya's social fabric.
He urged politicians to lower the temperature, engage their opponents through ideas and policies and avoid language that could deepen divisions among communities.
The Kirinyaga remarks reinforce Ngunjiri's recent advocacy for peaceful and respectful politics, with the Farmers Party seeking to present itself as a political vehicle centred on farmers, national unity and constructive political engagement.
At a time when Kenya's political arena is once again becoming sharply polarised, Ngunjiri's message raises a broader question: Can Kenyan politicians compete fiercely for power without turning political disagreement into personal hatred?
His answer appears to be yes—and that political maturity requires the country's leaders to know where the line between legitimate criticism and outright abuse should be drawn.
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