Kenya President Asks For Forgiveness On TV

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for forgiveness and reconciliation during his state of the nation address.

“If there was anything I said last year that hurt or wounded you, if I damaged the unity of this country in any way, I ask you to forgive me, and to join me in repairing that harm,” Mr Kenyatta said.

Mr Kenyatta was criticized for calling the judges “thugs” after the Supreme Court annulled his election win in August 2017.

He won a re-run, which was boycotted by his main rival Raila Odinga. Mr Kenyatta called Mr Odinga “a mad man”.

“I pray that all of us will spend the days and weeks after this address repairing the bonds that frayed last year,” he said during today’s address.

“Let us apologize for our words,and for the anger and malice that Kenyans heard.”

The President won an heated election re-run last October, which Mr Odinga had boycotted.

Around 150 people were killed in election-related, with police accused of using excessive force to quell opposition-organised protests.

Mr Odinga and Mr Kenyatta shook hands in March to promote reconciliation.

There was a mixed response by Kenyans to today’s speech by Mr Kenyatta:

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