MUHORONI, Kenya Jan 2019 – President Uhuru Kenyatta today eulogized the late Bruce Dominic Odhiambo Were as a true Kenyan patriot whose nationalist attributes Kenyans need to emulate.
The President said Bruce related and worked well with all Kenyans irrespective of their political, religious or tribal affiliations.
“Bruce was a true Kenyan patriot, he had no tribal, class, political or religious boundaries. He made friends across the country,” the President eulogized.
President Kenyatta spoke during the burial ceremony of the late Bruce Odhiambo at Dr. Robert Ouko Primary School in Koru, Muhoroni Constituency, Kisumu County.
The President said, Bruce a celebrated music producer and former chairman of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, was a generous mentor who always advocated for the interests and wellbeing of the youth.
“Musicians can attest to this, he would allow them to record in his studios even when they had no money to meet the costs,” said President Kenyatta.
He challenged all Kenyans to emulate the virtues displayed by the late Bruce Odiambo so as to take the country to the next level.
The President reiterated his call to Kenyans to embrace brotherhood saying the building bridges initiative is aimed at uniting all Kenyans in the course of building a strong and stable country for all to thrive.
He said its is through unity that Kenyans can be able to fight vices such as corruption and negative ethnicity.
“The hand shake is not meant to propagate politics but rather to sort out issues affecting us as a nation. No Kenyan is happy about corruption. Why don’t we join hands and deal with it? ” the President advised.
He said the building bridges initiative would be used to bring equality across the nation in terms of development and therefore all Kenyans need to support the initiative.
He further said it is through the initiative that the country can be able to reform its political system to ensure it unites all Kenyans to focus on development.
“We also know some political problems are as a result of some people feeling they have been left out of Government. Our competitive politics should not be that the winner takes it all. We should look and see how we can shape our politics to ensure all Kenyans are represented in Government,” said President Kenyatta.
On the outstanding issue of sugar farming in the region, President Kenyatta said the committee set up by the national and county governments to look into the sector challenges is compiling its report which will guide on how to revive the sector.
He said already the list of Muhoroni sugarcane farmers has been compiled and that the government will wait for the supplementary budget to set aside funds to pay them their outstanding dues.
President Kenyatta also said Kenya and Uganda are working to expand the Kisumu port so as to revive marine transport services between the two countries.
“The government of Uganda has provided the hyacinth harvest machine and on our part we will provide a dredging machine to expand the port of Kisumu so as to revive marine services between the two countries,” the President said.
Former PM Raila Odinga said the late Bruce Odhiambo displayed values of good upbringing and urged parents to ensure they guide and train their children to observe good morals lest they fall into the trap of indoctrination as is the case with the Kenyan youths who joined the Somali based Al-Shaabab terrorist group.
He said it is unfortunate that many Kenyans lost their lives in the terror attack at DusitD2 complex in the hands of their own people.
He at the same time urged Kenyans to support the building bridges initiative as it was aimed at building a great united nation.
“We want to unite all Kenyans before 2022. Politics must wait. Its not time to know who will be the MCA, MP, Governor or President but rather this is the time to unite Kenyans,” Mr Odinga said.
All those who spoke paid a glowing tribute to the late Bruce Odhiambo saying his brilliance raised him from humble beginnings to the apex of the creative arts industry, where he earned respect and admiration both locally and internationally.
Other speakers included Kisumu Deputy Governor Matthews Owili, Muhoroni MP Onyango K’Oyoo and his Dagoretti South counterpart John Kiarie.