Kenyan President Calls on People to Foster Peace, Unity in New Year

Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi made a passionate appeal to the country's leaders to cultivate the spirit of peace in the new year when he addressed the nation at State House in Nakuru in central Kenya on the eve of the New Year's Day.

Moi, who led Kenyans to bid farewell to the year 2000 and usher in the New Year, called on Kenyans to foster peace and unity in order to build a united, stable and prosperous nation.

Noting that discipline and hard work were corner stones of stability and development, the president also urged Kenyan to embrace this virtue.

Through unity and hard work, he said Kenyans have in the past recorded rapid progress to the envy of many nations.

Moi told the nation that the just ended year had been difficult for the majority of Kenyans mostly due to the economic slowdown experienced the last decade and into the new century.

The situation, Moi said, had been compounded by the rise in international prices of oil and other essential imports, as well as increased competition against the country's products both locally and internationally.

He also told the nation that the year drought destroyed the livelihood of more than 3 million Kenyans in the rural areas while those in urban centers suffered water shortage and power rationing.

The problems had been compounded by drug abuse and the spread of HIV/AIDS which continued to be a great concern to many, Moi said.

Moi assured Kenyans that his government was committed to turning around the economy and improving the well being of the people.

He also expressed hope that dialogue with donor agencies will continue and that mutual trust and respect for each other's point of view will always be observed.

To curb wanton destruction of forests, Moi said, the government has authorized the importation of timber for commercial use and will allocate funds into tree planting across the country.

He also called on educated Kenyans to form environmental societies whose task is to plant trees in villages and urban centers with a view to making the surroundings attractive, and hoped that the institutions of higher learning will lead the way in environmental conservation and regeneration.






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