President William Ruto has shared a link to the much-anticipated X Spaces conversation with the Kenyan youth who have been conducting protests for the last few weeks.
Using his X platform, Ruto shared a link ahead of the discussion with the hashtag #EngageThePresident.
Ruto promised the young people a virtual meeting as per their demands at a presidential round-table interview with three journalists on Sunday, June 30, 2024, after they rejected a proposed multi-sectoral meeting.
“I am hearing that the young people are saying they don’t want a multi-sectoral forum, maybe we should have an engagement with the President on X. I am open to having an engagement with the young people on a forum they are comfortable with. If they want me to engage them on X, I will be there,” Ruto said.
Ruto seeks to discuss unemployment, corruption, and taxation among other pressing issues.
However, a section of Kenyans online has vowed to conduct a parallel X Spaces meeting to counter that which is hosted by the President.
Parallel X Spaces meeting
The group argues the youth should be in charge of the meeting with the President coming on as a guest.
Showdown looms on what will transpire during the X Spaces meetings scheduled to take place at 2 pm Friday, July 5, 2024.
City lawyer Paul Mwangi said that the only way the President would have to suppress the parallel meeting was by deactivating the internet.
“How times have changed! The President has called a rally on X Spaces today at 2.00-5.00 PM. Gen Z has called a parallel rally at the same time, at the same venue. They don’t need a permit nor do they need to notify the OCS. In fact, there is nothing the government can do about it. They can only shut down the internet. But then, the President will not have his rally either,” the lawyer said on X
This comes after the President’s daughter Charlene Ruto implored the youth to engage the President on X to address their issues.
“Young people, the chance of a lifetime awaits you. I encourage you to use it wisely and engage constructively because you are the ones who will determine the continuity of such levels of discussion for your success,” Charlene said.
Ruto advised all Cabinet Secretaries to be present during the meeting to listen to the suggestions of the youth and act on them.
Some of the Cabinet Secretaries are facing a major Cabinet reshuffle after Ruto held a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, July 4, 2024.