22/05/2026
A NATIONAL APPEAL FOR PEACE, UNITY & PURPOSE
To: All Kenyans – Leaders & Citizens, Young & Old, In Every County, Village, and Diaspora
From: Dr. Cheptinga K. Philip
Date: 22nd May 2026
REF: KENYA IS BIGGER THAN POLITICS – LET US NOT WALK THE 2005 PATH AGAIN
Wakenya wenzangu,
I write to you with a trembling hand and a hopeful heart. I write not as Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Luo, Luhya, Kamba, Kisii, Mijikenda, Somali, or Maasai. I write as a Kenyan. A father. A doctor who has seen blood. A citizen who remembers.
WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, AND WE MUST NOT RETURN
In 2005, it started with whispers. In 2006, it became insults at rallies. In 2007, it became fire. In 2008, it became graves. Over 1,300 Kenyans died. 600,000 were displaced. Kiambaa, Naivasha, Nakuru, Kisumu, Nairobi – no corner of Kenya was spared.
Today in 2026, the whispers are back.
a) Leaders speak ills of each other – in Parliament, on TikTok, in churches, at funerals.
b) Citizens speak behind each other’s backs – “their tribe”, “those people”, “we must protect our seat”.
c) Small violence is excused – online hate, goons disrupting meetings, ethnic profiling in matatus, land invasions.
d) Institutions rot while we fight – Moi University staggers. KNH lacks gloves. KEMRI begs for funds. Yet we trend on insults.
My fellow Kenyans, this is 2005 again. The script is the same. Only the dates have changed. If we do not stop now, we will cry again. And our children will ask: “Why did you let it happen twice?”
THE TRUTH WE MUST FACE: POLITICS ENDS, KENYA REMAINS
Hon. President, Governors, Senators, MPs, MCAs – your terms will end. Parties will fold. Coalitions will collapse.
But the farmer in Kitale, the fisherman in Homa Bay, the teacher in Garissa, the nurse in Mombasa, the student in Eldoret – we will remain. We will remain neighbors. In-laws. Teammates in Harambee Stars. Customers and sellers. Kenyans.
Politics will go, but we shall remain friends, neighbors, one Kenya. Let us not burn th
