How Kenya's National Prayer Breakfast Came Into Being

The prayer breakfast, now in its 19th year, will feature Deputy President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga, among other officials.

The Parliament will host the event, which will be themed 'Transitions,' and will take place just two months before the country's General Election.

According to a press release for the event, the clergy will be in charge of the proceedings, with only a few politicians on stage.

Bishop Dr. David Oginde of the Evangelical Association of Kenya, Reverend Dr. Jeremy Marambi of the SDA Church, and Shrimati Sujata Kotamraju of the Hindu Council of Kenya are among the clergymen set to deliver keynote addresses.

The Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Samuel Poghisio, MP, and Hon. Daniel Maanzo, MP, of the National Assembly, co-chair the Organizing Committee.

According to a communication from Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, the prayer ritual takes place at a vital period in the country's preparations for a general election, necessitating its holding.

Keynote addresses will be given by Archbishop Dr. Jackson ole Sapit of the ACK, Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Roman Catholic Church, and Dr. Sheikh Abdullahi Bundid, Chairman of the Association of Muslim University Chaplains.

Chief Justice Martha Koome is expected to be present and will lead a prayer.

What is the National Prayer Breakfast?

The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual ecumenical event hosted by the Co-Patrons, the Speaker of the Senate, and the National Assembly and organized by the National Prayer Breakfast Organizing Committee.

The National Prayer Breakfast's goal is to bring together leaders from all walks of life to meet, engage, interact, and pray for the country as a group.

How the Kenyan National Prayer Breakfast came to be

Kalonzo Musyoka, then Assistant Minister-cum-Deputy Speaker, was invited to the 34th US National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, for the first time in 1987.

However, it wasn't until 1988, when then-Speaker Moses Keino met acquaintances who had attended the event, that he got interested in how political foes and non-church leaders could come together for prayer.

Keino began attracting his Parliamentary allies to form prayer fellowship groups after persuading then-President Daniel Moi to attend the event in early 1990.

However, the celebration was short-lived. Thanks to multiparty democracy's tumultuous political environment. A series of failed attempts followed.

But it wasn't until 2002 that the concept reappeared. When David Musila was first elected to Parliament, he set up parliamentary prayer fellowships, comprised Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka.

It's worth noting that President Uhuru, who was then the official Opposition Leader, had been invited to the 50th Washington National Prayer Breakfast at the time.

The small Parliamentary Prayer Groups that held regular prayer meetings at Boulevard Hotel and Muthaiga Country Club hatched the first Kenya National Prayer Event because of the political stability that had preceded the 2002 elections. With Kalonzo Musyoka, the current Wiper leader, becoming the organization's chairman.

The event was originally scheduled for the first Saturday before Madaraka in 2003 but was moved to the last Thursday in May before Madaraka Day.

Hundreds of people attended the ceremony when it was first held. However, as the number of guests swelled, hotels were unable to accommodate thousands of people, forcing the event to be relocated multiple times.

Former President Kaunda of Zambia, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, our own Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai, Zimbabwean telecoms billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, and other luminaries of no mean renown have all graced the celebrations in the past.