On February 14, 2023, Kenyans from all walks of life attended the national prayer event at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi. The national altar solemn assembly was attended by President Ruto and First Lady Mama Rachael Ruto, deputy president Gachagua, and the second lady Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, cabinet secretaries, political leaders, religious leaders, and Christians from all over the country.
A summary of the prayers offered;
- There was a prayer for repentance from bloodshed, assassinations, and extra-judicial killings that have happened in this country since independence. Apostle Kimani led this prayer, asking the Lord to break generational and national curses and heal our land. Other clergy led repentance prayers from idol worship, social injustices, sexual sin, and broken covenants.
- Archbishop Harrison Nganga led prayers for rain. He challenged the congregants to raise their faith because prayer for rain has never been a simple matter even in the Bible. He noted Elijah’s example in 1 Kings 18, where he prayed seven (7) times for rain. “What will you say if we pray today and it doesn’t rain? Prayers for rain require patience and focus,” he said.
- There were prayers concerning the seven mountains of influence: which are family, religion, business, politics, media, and arts/entertainment.
- The clergy prayed for the Kenya Kwanza bottom-up economic transformation agenda according to Proverbs 16:3 whichsays, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” The president and his deputy handed over the plan and the Kenyan flag to the fathers of faith and other clergies who prayed for the different aspects of the plan.
“… Lord as you gave Joseph the wisdom to articulate the dream of the Pharaoh and bring it to pass, we pray Lord that you will give our president, deputy president, his cabinet, and the entire government the wisdom to fulfill these dreams,” Bishop Mark Kariuki prayed.
- An offering was taken to bring healing to our economy and our land, akin to the salt that was used in the Bible by Elisha to cleanse the well so that the water would be clean. Bishop Lai announced that offerings would also be taken in churches, and the money deposited in the treasury as a seed for cleansing the country’s money, thus healing the economy.
- The President, his deputy, and their spouses were prayed for. Archbishop Arthur Kitonga declared that Kenya Kwanza’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda for 2022-2027 would be fulfilled because it’s a vision that God gave President Ruto and other leaders who are under him.
He read Deuteronomy 28:1-8 before blessing the leaders and declaring peace in Kenya.
We quote Deuteronomy 28:1-2
“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.”
- President Ruto offered the closing prayer, blessing the nation and asking the Lord to speak life to the plans meant for the good of Kenyans. He prayed for unity and rain, called children out from drugs, alcoholism, and other vices, claimed back the future of the nation, committed plans to secure the Nation to the Lord, and prayed for the protection of families and children from adverse ideologies and for the understanding of God’s will.
“We commit the church to your good hands that you shall cause them to stand in the gap between our nation and you and to speak a blessing over our nation,” he prayed. “Bless our children heavenly father, bless our schools, and bless our farms, businesses, and government that we shall do that which is in your perfect will. We pray for Kenya, we lift our nation before you Lord that we will find favour and grace even amongst the community of nations”
He concluded, “We lift our nation. We pray for every Kenyan that you shall cause them to attain the wishes of their hearts.”
