Civil society groups in Rift Valley have backed calls for national dialogue to resolve issues affecting youth and other challenges in the country.
The groups, led by the Kenya National Civil Society Center, met in Eldoret and said they fully support an inter-generational dialogue process suggested by opposition chief Raila Odinga to deal with the youth crisis and other problems.
CEO of the Center, Suba Churchill, said the country cannot develop in an environment of protests by the Gen Zs and violence, which leads to damage to property and also scares away investors.
He said although the youth had opposed the suggested talks on grounds that the Constitution was clear on the issues they want tackled, dialogue was always important in dealing with all kinds of challenges.
“Yes, we know the Constitution is clear, but the Bible is also clear, yet we always have differences which must be addressed,” said Churchill.
He said some leaders and Kenyans were also opposed to the talks, arguing that they would yield nothing. But he noted that most of the previous reforms beneficial to the country were as a result of dialogue.
Churchill said even the current IEBC was a product of the NADCO dialogue process.
He said Kenyans had a chance to register as voters and prepare for the next elections thanks to the existence of the IEBC, which was brought about because of dialogue.
“As a country, we have always demonstrated the resolve to come together and deal with the challenges we have faced as a nation,” said Churchill.
He said there are always differences on various issues, but Kenyans have always emerged with the capacity to come to the dialogue table and agree in the best interest of the country.
He said there was a need to come up with a mechanism that will be acceptable to all so that the proposal for dialogue can be concretized.
Churchill assured Odinga that they fully support his proposal for inter-generational talks, which should also focus on issues raised by the youth.
He said through dialogue, issues like implementing the TJRC report on land and historical injustices would also be addressed.
He added that the issue of public debt and strengthening devolution would also be dealt with through dialogue so that the truth can be laid bare.
Churchill was with actors from the civil society groups operating in Rift Valley, including Kipkorir Ngetich from the Center for Human Rights and Democracy (CHRD), Kimutai Kirui, Sharon Morara, Donald Sumba, Cheromola Chesire, among others.
Ngetich said the youth had raised serious issues through recent protests, and the same have to be addressed by the government, which needs a process backed by law to do so.
He said issues of unemployment in the country did not start recently and urged the youth to agree to dialogue as the best way to resolve issues.
“Youth must know that violence and chaos will not yield anything if there will be no dialogue to bring everyone to the table,” said Ngetich.
