Civil societies call for decisive executive action, downplay state-led conversation
Six civil associations have called for decisive action by the government in order to bring back confidence in the country’s constitution and governance institutions.
In a statement on Monday, July 1, 2024, the group comprising six associations including medical practitioners, human rights defenders and journalists downplayed the president’s calls for a multi-sectoral conversation aimed at addressing issues raised by youth during the demonstrations, insisting that issues raised need action more than dialogue.
Urgent action
The group called for urgent action to curb theft of public resources, investment in essential services, and reduction in what it terms a bloated cabinet as some of the immediate measures to be undertaken by the current administration in place of the proposed multi-sectoral conversation.
“We note the State House's announcement of a multi-sectoral conversation to address policy issues raised by the Youth for Kenya (Gen Z) protest movement. Youth for Kenya (Gen Z) have clearly spoken on the urgent need for the state to arrest public theft and a bloated cabinet, invest in essential services, act on those who fired upon unarmed protestors, release those arbitrarily arrested and put an end to extrajudicial killings among other demands. Many of their demands, in our view, do not require policy dialogue but decisive executive action," the statement added.
In the statement, the national organisations believe that only decisive executive action on the issues raised during the protests can restore the much-needed confidence in the current administration and its governance organs.
Disgruntled electorate
This follows a recent uproar by Kenyans online who have decried the move by a majority of Members of Parliament to vote in favour of the controversial Financial Bill, contrary to popular demand.
This has led to calls to visit the MPs in a bid to voice their discontent, which has in some cases led to the destruction of property. 
Calls by Kenyans to recall legislators who no longer represent their interests in parliament have also hit the headlines during and post finance bill protests.
“Decisive executive action, not a state-led national conversation, will restore this generation's faith in the Kenyan state. It will bring back confidence in our constitution and governance institutions and create a nation united and driven by our constitutional values.
“We call on the national administration and 47 county administrations to listen and act on the considerations and demands being raised by Gen Z. Numerically, they represent the majority of Kenyans and those with the greatest stake in re-directing the current crisis to a more hopeful future for us all," the statement continued.
The group has also called upon the National Police Service to adhere to the constitution during the protests, while condemning the criminalizing of protesters, using camouflage, non-uniformed officers, and unmarked cars during the protests.
The statement is signed by the Kenya Medical Association, Bloggers Association of Kenya, Law Society of Kenya, Kenya Union of Journalists, Medics for Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group, and a coalition of 21 other organisations including the Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists, Independent Medical and Legal Unit, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Defenders Coalition and Amnesty International Kenya.
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