President William Ruto has reached out to the youth who have been protesting against his administration’s policies, extending an olive branch by announcing plans for dialogue.
“I will facilitate a conversation with the young people, as well as action groups and religious bodies, so that together we can shape the future of our country,” President Ruto declared on Wednesday.
Acknowledging the widespread protests and demands from across the nation, President Ruto revealed his decision to withdraw the controversial tax proposals.
“We have scrapped the Finance Bill, 2024, and it is now essential for us to engage in discussions on how we collectively manage the affairs of our nation moving forward,” he emphasized.
President Ruto highlighted the country’s challenging debt situation, which has exacerbated the budget deficit, as a key issue to be addressed during the upcoming dialogue sessions.
“As I committed previously, I intend to initiate a dialogue with the youth of our nation to hear their perspectives,” President Ruto stated. “I am eager to listen to their ideas, proposals, concerns, and suggestions on how we can improve going forward.”
He emphasized that the dialogue would encompass discussions on the scrapped bill and other issues raised by the people of Kenya during the protests.
While disclosing his initial support for the tax bill, President Ruto explained that withdrawing it was necessary due to the ongoing threat posed by public debt to the economy.
The President’s commitment to dialogue marks a significant step towards addressing the grievances of the youth and other stakeholders, aiming to foster a collaborative approach to national governance and economic management.
President Ruto highlighted his administration’s achievements amidst budgetary constraints, emphasizing reductions in fertilizer and petrol prices, alongside improvements that have strengthened the Kenyan shilling against the US dollar.
“We have successfully steered the country out of economic distress. The economy has grown by 5.6% and inflation has decreased from nine to 5%,” President Ruto asserted.
Regarding the recent unrest and protests across the country, President Ruto acknowledged the unfortunate incident on Tuesday that resulted in six fatalities. He reassured the public that there would be no extrajudicial killings moving forward, addressing concerns raised by civil society groups.
“All individuals mentioned by civil society groups were located in police custody, and those who were processed have been released,” President Ruto clarified.
In light of ongoing tensions, President Ruto expressed his intention to meet with various stakeholders to chart a path forward and restore calm.
“I will soon convene discussions with key stakeholders to ensure we unite the nation and navigate this critical journey into the future together,” President Ruto announced.
Despite the president’s assurances, youth leaders leading the protests have maintained their resolve to continue demonstrating until justice is achieved for those who lost their lives in recent incidents.
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