President William Ruto has expressed his readiness to engage with Gen Z on X (formerly Twitter) following criticism from young anti-Finance Bill protesters about his proposal for multi-sectoral forums.
Speaking during a round table interview with the media on Sunday night June 30, 2024, Ruto emphasized his commitment to addressing the concerns of Kenya’s youth on their preferred platforms.
“I promised that I will engage the young people. I promised them multi-sectoral forums, and that is what I have put out. I have also promised that these are some of the topics that I want us to discuss. I want us to discuss debt, I want us to discuss taxation, I want us to discuss unemployment, I want us to discuss corruption,” Ruto stated.
Acknowledging the feedback from the youth, Ruto added, “It was a suggestion. I am open. I am hearing that the young people are saying ‘we don’t want a multi-sectoral forum, maybe we should have an engagement on X.’ And I am open to having an engagement with the young people on a forum that they are comfortable with. If they want me to engage with them on X, I will be there.”
When asked if he understood the desires of the young people, Ruto noted his close connections with the youth in his own household, asserting that he was attuned to their concerns.
“I have many people in my house, the same ones that are in these other spaces and they want an engagement. They have ideas, they have suggestions and I am open,” Ruto said.
Multi-sectoral forums
Critics such as musician Otile Brown had dismissed the multi-sectoral forums as unnecessary, arguing that the government already knows the solutions to the youth’s discontent and should focus on immediate action rather than prolonged dialogue.
Brown took to social media to voice his concerns, criticizing the forums as a waste of resources.
“Tatizo tunapenda kupoteza mda na rasilimali yingi kwa maneno, maneno matupu huleta hasara, maongezi ya nini tena?? We all got job to do, kila mtu afanye kazi yake na wajibike. Sote tunajua cha kufanya,” Brown wrote on his InstaStories on Sunday.
The singer underscored the pressing need to tackle corruption, which he described as a significant drain on public funds, leading to the loss of trillions of shillings annually.
“Tujifunze vizuri ku manage nchi na rasilimali, ufisadi umezorotesha maisha ya mwananchi ata wawekezaji wanatoroka, kazi zina pungua, ukitaka kumaliza deni la nchi yetu kwanza tuanze na hilo karibia trilioni moja inayopotea kila mwaka. Imagine kama hio pesa ingetengwa ingekua inalipa deni, hamgehitaji ata kuzidisha ushuru,” he added.
As President Ruto seeks to navigate the growing unrest among the youth, his willingness to adapt his approach and engage on social media could be pivotal in bridging the gap between the government and its young critics.
The proposed discussions on platforms like X may offer a new avenue for dialogue, though the ultimate effectiveness will depend on the actions that follow.
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