NAIROBI, kenya- In the face of growing demands for accountability and governance reforms from Kenyan youth, particularly Gen Z, political elites in Kenya have united, speaking in one language.
This move, seen by many as self-preservation, features President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga calling for dialogue under mounting pressure from the youth for meaningful change.
This dialogue, according to the two leaders, will address critical issues raised by the youth, including rampant government corruption, wastage of taxpayer money, overtaxation, nepotism, and tribalism in appointments.
The President has since announced that a multi-stakeholder dialogue involving 150 people will convene for six days to deliberate on these pressing issues.
“Many voices expressed disapproval of these proposals leading me to drop the bill and terminate the process. There is general consensus that the country requires to confront and address long-standing priority nation issues including national debt, public expenditure and anti-corruption measures,” the President said.
However, the announcement, coinciding with the President’s signing of the IEBC (Amendment) Bill into law, triggered massive opposition from Kenyans online, dismissing it as a familiar tactic to buy time.
Critics argue that previous dialogues have yielded little to no tangible results, fueling skepticism about this new initiative.
Odinga, a longtime opposition leader, has a history of entering similar talks with previous governments.
In 2018, his surprise talks with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta led to significant changes in government, with some of his allies joining the administration and the opposition largely weakened.
This period, dubbed the “handshake government,” saw massive cases of corruption and conflict of interest.
Already, some opposition leaders, like Eugene Wamalwa, have expressed strong opposition to the new calls for dialogue.
“I am not boarding,” the former Cabinet Secretary declared on X, formerly Twitter.
Political observers note that President Ruto appears to be following in Uhuru’s footsteps by bringing Raila on board.
However, they caution that the political environment has changed.
Besides youth protests, the government is embroiled in internal political conflicts, with the President and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, frequently at odds.
Allies of the President have relentlessly hammered his Deputy, accusing him of being behind the Gen Z protests.
However, the protests have been largely organic and lack a specific leader, united solely by their grievances.
The Kenya Kwanza administration, under the leadership of President Ruto, is under immense pressure to deliver on its campaign promises.
The youth’s cries for transparency, accountability, and an end to the pervasive corruption are growing louder and more urgent.
President Ruto’s decision to hold a multi-stakeholder dialogue is seen by many as a strategic move to quell the growing unrest.
However, skepticism abounds. The memory of past dialogues, which ended with little change and increased corruption, looms large in the minds of many Kenyans.
Odinga’s involvement adds another layer of complexity. His previous engagements with the government have often led to significant shifts in the political landscape but have also been marred by accusations of corruption and favoritism.
The “handshake” with Kenyatta, while initially seen as a positive step towards national unity, ultimately resulted in widespread disillusionment as cases of corruption soared.
