Silverio Omari
President William Ruto announced a six-day multi-sectoral dialogue forum starting Monday, July 15, to address pressing issues facing Kenyans.
Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Ruto stated that the forum will include representatives from political parties, religious groups, civil society, employers, and youth.
“To ensure fiscal responsibility, all participants will cover their own attendance costs. This decision follows consultations held this morning,” he said. Stakeholders must submit their representatives by Friday this week, Ruto added.
The President mentioned that the forum “will propose the way forward for the country.”
Ruto’s announcement came after he signed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Bill was based on recommendations by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), formed after the disputed 2022 presidential election results, where some IEBC commissioners challenged Ruto’s victory.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, leader of the opposition, supported Ruto’s dialogue initiative, calling it “the best way forward out of the crisis we are facing today as a country.” Odinga emphasized the importance of providing a platform for Kenyans to voice their concerns and issues for “a lasting solution.”
“There are many issues affecting Kenyans, but all of them are solvable,” said Odinga, highlighting unemployment, corruption, ethnicity, debt, and economic management as key topics.
The forum follows deadly nationwide protests against taxation and President Ruto’s leadership. These protests, which began last month in response to the unpopular Finance Bill, 2024, sought to raise an additional Ksh.346 billion in revenue through increased taxation. Despite Ruto’s refusal to sign the proposed law on June 26 after public pressure, the protests have continued. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, over 39 people were killed in the demonstrations.
