President William Ruto on Friday evening hosted Muslim leaders and faithful for an Iftar dinner at State House in Mombasa, where he called on religious leaders, parents and political leaders to work together to address the growing challenge of drug abuse among young people.
Speaking during the Ramadhan gathering, the President emphasized the importance of moral guidance and community responsibility in protecting children from harmful influences that threaten families and society.
“We ask you, as people who believe in God, to help us protect our children from drug abuse and the bad influences that are threatening our families,” said President Ruto.
He urged religious leaders and parents to play a stronger role in guiding the youth and instilling discipline and values.
“We need to come together as religious leaders, political leaders, parents and all members of society to guide and pray for our children. The issue of drug abuse is really affecting our society and we must not leave it to the government alone,” he added.
The President also addressed concerns regarding alleged discrimination in the issuance of national identity cards in the past, saying every Kenyan has a constitutional right to be registered and issued with an ID.
"I have heard several leaders here saying that there was discrimination in previous regimes when it comes to the issuance of ID cards. I want to say clearly that every Kenyan deserves to get an ID. This is not a favour; it is a right,” he stated.
President Ruto noted that his administration has taken steps to ensure that all eligible Kenyans are registered and issued with identification documents.
“My administration has worked to ensure that each Kenyan is registered and has an ID,” he said.
The Iftar dinner brought together a cross-section of leaders from the Coast region and beyond, reflecting the spirit of unity and interfaith engagement during the holy month of Ramadhan.
Among those present were ODM party leader Oburu Odinga, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Sports and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Abdulswamad Nassir, the Governor of Mombasa, among other leaders
