TALKING NOTES BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.

, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA ON THE INAUGURATION OF THE VINCENTIAN RETREAT CENTRES AUDITORIUM AT THIKA ON 4TH APRIL, 2014
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honoured to be with you here today, as we inaugurate the auditorium over which you have so diligently laboured. The teaching of which this project is a part and fruit is one that seems to me appropriate at this moment in our countrys history. As you all now, we are faced with a resurgent e!tremist movement. It has set out to divide us against ourselves. "y illing and maiming, it hopes to turn us against our brothers, and to destroy the nation we have laboured so long to build. It has learned too well the old "iblical lesson that a house divided against itself cannot stand. "ut we refuse to fall for its lies and low cunning. #e now that the war we are fighting is not a war of religions. It is not a clash of cultures. It is fight against a small and vicious set of deluded criminals. The war of religion that they hope to start will not ignite in $enya. #e have co%e!isted too long in peace to fall for their ruse. That willingness to live and let live is not a luc y accident& it is the wor of many hands over long years. The earliest 'hristian missions may have served the colonial order, but they also educated and healed our people. $enyans of (uslim and )indu faith fought for independence, and were free, when it came, to practice their belief. They were not left behind when it came to the wor s of mercy, as the Aga $han hospital reminds us. #e live and let live not just because it is our duty under the new constitution, but also because our different faiths have made lasting contributions to our common life. A central element of ourtolerance is the wor of institutions such as the *incentian +athers. In eeping with the vision of ,t *incent de -aul, yourmission to the poor is universal. you are not bound by tribe,tongue, or nation&your wor stretches across the world. /ou are not even bound by religion, because, since your founding in India, you have reached out to all Gods children, whether (uslim or )indu, ,i h or -rotestant. )ere in Thi a, you offer a place of retreat, where any of us 0 $enyans and foreigners ali e 0 can come and 1uietly see God.

/our ability to bring people together is a rare gift. +or this nation, it is especially important, as we face new threats to our nationhood and our humanity from the evil acts of a few e!tremists in our midst. Though we are angry, and resolved to bring the terrorists to justice, we can learn from your practices of penitence, reconciliation,and unity. And I must also commend you on your ability to attract the youth of our nation to these gifts, since I am told that a majority of those who visit your retreats are $enyan youth. /our silent virtues 0 the ability to loo inward, the ability to as and grant forgiveness, and the willingness to search for unity 0 these are the gifts that I am here to celebrate with you, as I open your new auditorium project. That is why I am so pleased to join you in your special prayers for the unity of $enyans. /ou have my blessing, and you can be certain of my governments full support for this project, and for further projects of a similar nature. God bless you, and strengthen you, and may he ma e you, as you have as ed, a centre of unification for the nation and the peoples of $enya. (ungu awabari i na awalinde nyote.