“We are here, because the unique conditions of our time make the discussion on security ever more important and ever more personal to each one of us”. With these strong words, part of a powerful rallying speech aimed at all Africans, the Hon Uhuru Kenyatta, 2013 Kenyan presidential candidate and current Deputy Prime Minister, closed the first edition of the Africa Forum on Business and Security held in Nairobi on September 13th and 14th 2012.
Despite ethnic violence on Kenya’s eastern coast and a foiled terrorist attack in Nairobi which created a sombre background to the Forum, Kenyatta urged his compatriots to shed their differences because “unless we unite in a spirit of peace, we will never fulfil our potential as a nation”. He also added that “it is our responsibility to spread that message of unity to all our citizens and create an environment where they can stand as one. Ultimately together we create our future”.
This message of unity was a fitting end to the Forum’s discussions, not only because Kenyatta himself is sometimes seen as a polarising figure in Kenya, but because the words “togetherness”, “partnership” and “collaboration” were the dominant themes of the two day event organised by the New Security Foundation, that brought together leading figures from the worlds of business and security from 22 countries.
A copy of Kenya’s Deputy Prime Minister’s speech is available for download here.