National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale share a light moment during a church service at St. Paul’s Echinja Catholic Church in Matungu, Kakamega County. On Sunday, June 1, 2014, the leaders joined the faithful for a special service that transcended political divides. Despite their often-fiery exchanges in the floors of the House and Senate, the trio was seen laughing and engaging in friendly banter, a rare display of political camaraderie during a period of high regional tension. Duale and Kindiki, representing the Jubilee administration, used the visit to emphasize the importance of national unity and to reach out to the Western Kenya electorate. Senator Khalwale, then a vocal member of the opposition, welcomed the leaders to his “backyard,” though he maintained that the “church handshake” did not mean he would stop his rigorous oversight of the government. The event highlighted the role of the church as a neutral ground where political rivals could momentarily set aside their differences to participate in communal worship and development talks. June 1, 2014.