Summary: President William Ruto will address the nation today at 4 PM from State House, Nairobi. This comes a week after he made significant changes in his administration by dismissing all cabinet secretaries. The public is anticipating more updates, particularly in response to concerns from Gen Zs.
President William Ruto speaks after assenting to the IEBC (Amendment) Bill, 2024 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on July 9, 2024. | PHOTO: PCS
President William Ruto will today 4pm address the nation at State House, Nairobi.
Ruto had announced a six-day multi-sectoral convention which will kick off on Monday.
The address comes after a week after he rolled out massive changes in his administration that saw all cabinet secretaries sent home.
Speaking after holding consultations with Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leadership led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, President Ruto said the forum will deliberate on the way forward out of the crisis Kenya is facing.
It also comes at a time when Kenyans are anticipating more changes in his administration in line with concerns raised by Gen Zs.
The President said the proposed National Multisectoral Forum, aimed at addressing issues raised in recent protests, will be held for six days from Monday.
Ruto spoke after assenting to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
He said the forum will encompass 150 members, 50 of them youth, while 100 will be drawn from religious institutions, civil society, professional organisations and political parties, among other stakeholders.
The Bill stemmed from recommendations by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) constituted after a disputed 2022 presidential election results which saw a section of the IEBC commissioners disown Ruto’s election victory results.
President Ruto said participants in the forum will bear their own costs in line with the government’s policy of austerity.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga backed Ruto’s dialogue push, terming it “the best way forward out of the crisis we are having today as a country.”
The protests began last month against the unpopular Finance Bill, 2024 through which Ruto’s government sought to raise an additional Sh346 billion in revenue through increased taxation.
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni now says that the national dialogue initiated by President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga will not work.
But they have persisted even after Ruto declined to assent to the proposed law on June 26 after public pressure.
Ruto emphasised the importance of the forum stating that it will propose the way forward for the country.
Over 42 people were killed in the demonstrations, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
The ODM leader reiterated the importance of the forum, saying that it will give Kenyans a chance to be heard.
The protesters have made more demands which have prompted Ruto to make a number of changes.
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