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Azimio leader Raila Odinga is currently facing strong criticism from Generation Z (Gen Z) for his decision to participate in a national dialogue with President William Ruto.
This dialogue, set to begin on July 15 and run for six days, aims to address the numerous grievances currently facing the country. However, many young people feel excluded from the process and are skeptical about its potential effectiveness.
Senator Edwin Sifuna has come forward to clarify that Raila Odinga has never claimed to speak on behalf of Gen Z. "Raila has not said he will speak on behalf of Gen Z," said Sifuna.
"Gen Z said they are leaderless, but not everyone is leaderless. Raila has people he leads and as leaders, we can't sit back and keep quiet. We also have a stake in this country."
President William Ruto announced the formation of the National Multi-Sectoral Forum (NMSF) on June 26. This announcement came after several weeks of mass protests led by Gen Z, who were demanding the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024.
The President's decision to engage in dialogue was partly influenced by these protests and the clear dissatisfaction expressed by the younger generation.
In response to the protests, President Ruto even participated in an X Space session on July 5, where he fielded questions from Gen Z.
During this session, he acknowledged the need for more empathy and promised to listen more attentively to the concerns of the youth.
Despite these efforts, Gen Z remains unconvinced that traditional political dialogues will address their concerns effectively.
The youth's discontent with the dialogue process is rooted in their belief that previous talks have not resulted in tangible change.
Many young people feel that political leaders are out of touch with their reality and that past dialogues have failed to deliver meaningful solutions.
This sentiment was echoed on social media, where numerous Gen Z users expressed their frustration with Raila Odinga's involvement in the talks.
One social media user stated, "We told Raila Odinga to rest and let us handle our matters. We are not going to dialogue with President William Ruto. We know how it ends, and Baba (Raila) is a clear example of how dialogue never works."
Another user added, "Dialogue won't solve the national debt, and it won't post the medical interns. These issues need action, not just talks."
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