President William Ruto on Sunday broke his silence on the anti-Finance Bill 2024 Protests that have been witnessed across the country for the better part of the last week.
Speaking during a church service in Nyahururu on Sunday, the President stated that the government had listened to the youth and was ready to engage in conversation with them.
He also applauded the initiative (protests) undertaken by the youth terming it as their statement to be involved in the political scene. He praised it as their democratic duty.
The Head of State further noted that the government was open to engaging the youth in conversation and identifying the issues that had been plaguing the youth.
“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,” Ruto added.
According to the President, 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 be allocating more resources for bursaries through the CDF and to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
He further stated that to combat unemployment, the government was focused on the creation of ICT Hubs to create more job openings for the country.
The President’s sentiments, which have praised the Gen-Zs, however, come after a series of protests where the youth have relentlessly declared their dissatisfaction with the Finance Bill.
In one of the initiatives dubbed Occupy Churches, the youth pledged not to allow politicians to address them at places of worship.
Following this initiative, several churches have bowed to the pressure, denying audience to politicians and officially issuing their stance on the Finance Bill. Kenyan.co.