‘Blind move similar to Moi’s 1990 mistake’- Raila’s lawyer reacts to Ruto’s plan to engage youth
Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga's lawyer Paul Mwangi has reacted to President William Ruto's newly unveiled roadmap he intends to use in engaging the youth.
Mwangi through his official X account on Saturday, June 29, 2024, said President Ruto is repeating the mistake the late Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi made when he served as the second President of Kenya.
Moi's mistake
Mwangi stated that Moi came up with a move similar to what Ruto was planning when he was faced with the famous Saba Saba demonstrations on July 7, 1990, when Kenyans demanded multi-partism.
"Ruto making same ignorant mistake as Moi. In 1990, following the deadly Saba Saba riots on 7 July clamouring for Multi Party, Moi set up the KANU Review Committee under the chairmanship of Prof George Saitoti," Mwangi stated in his statement.
The lawyer further notes that Moi's plan failed since Kenyans were not asking for any reforms, but had rejected the single-party rule.
Ruto's approach
Mwangi states that after the Kenyan youth rejected the Finance Bill, 2024, Ruto decided to form the National Multi-Sectoral Forum on Youth Engagement aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the youth, when the said youths have not asked for any talks.
"But the people were not asking for reforms in KANU. They had rejected single party rule and wanted other political parties.
"Now, after the recent protests by Gen Z, Ruto has set up the National Multi-Sectoral Forum on Youth Engagement to address the concerns raised by the youth. But the youth are not asking for talks. They want action. Ruto's move is as blind as the one by Moi and will do nothing to stem the demand for drastic reforms in governance," Mwangi said.
RUTO MAKING SAME IGNORANT MISTAKES AS MOI. In 1990, following the deadly Saba Saba riots on 7 July clamouring for Multi Party, Moi set up the KANU Review Committee under the chairmanship of Prof George Saitoti. But the people were not asking for reforms in KANU. They had…— Paul Mwangi (@PaulMMwangi) June 29, 2024
Ruto promised to engage the youth after he declined to sign the Finance Bill, 2024 following deadly protests that were witnessed on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
Ruto in his address to the nation on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, announced that a National Multi-Sectoral Forum (NMSF) would be constituted to engage with all stakeholders in addressing the concerns raised by the youth.
Ruto's youth engagement roadmap
Head of Public Service Felix Kosgei in a statement released on Saturday, June 29, 2024, requested all national-level umbrella organizations representing the youth, civil society, religious organizations, professional bodies, business community organizations, academia, student leadership, majority and minority leaders of parliament, the Council of Governors, and other stakeholder groups to nominate representatives to constitute the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the NMSF.
"The nominations should be addressed to the Executive Office of the President, Harambee House. Upon the establishment of the National Steering Committee of the NMSF, the President will facilitate the first sitting of the NSC for the sole purpose of the Committee independently identifying the leadership of the forum.
"Subsequently, the forum will carry out its activities independently across all 47 counties through a participatory, citizen-centric, and inclusive process from the ward level," the statement reads in part.
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