Ruto announced that the government was willing to engage them in conversation having listened to them.
President William Ruto on Sunday, June 23 spoke about the Finance Bill protests for the first time since they began on June 18 and have been going on across the country for the better part of the week.
Speaking during a church service in Nyahururu, the Head of State announced that the government was willing to engage them in conversation having listened to them.
He also applauded the self-initiative they had taken, in the form of the peaceful protests, terming it as their way of exercising their democratic right and their statement to be involved in the country’s political scene.
Protesters in Nairobi against the Finance Bill 2024. /THE STAR
Ruto also revealed that the talks would see the government identify the issues that the youth had been plagued with.
“I want to congratulate our young people for coming out and being concerned about Kenya’s affairs. They have done a democratic duty to stand and be recognised. We are going to have a conversation with the youth. We are going to engage them. They have stood out and have been recognised,” Ruto stated.
“I am very proud of our young people. They have stepped forward, tribeless and peaceful.”
In the same vein, the President announced that the government had allocated Ksh10 Billion to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in the 2024/2025 financial year budget which would be used to further the interest of the youth.
Ruto stated that the government would allocate more resources for bursaries through the CDF and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
He further stated that to combat unemployment, the government was focused on creating ICT Hubs to create more job openings for the country.
Ruto’s sentiments had praised the Gen Zs, though the protests they have been conducting nationwide have been in opposition to the punitive tax proposals contained in the Finance Bill.
Notably, his and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s speech was shorter than usual on other Sundays after one of the initiatives dubbed ‘Occupy Churches’ saw the youth vow to bar politicians from making addresses during church services.
In adherence to this directive, several churches prevented politicians from making public addresses during the services and declared their position on the Finance Bill.
