President
William Ruto is asking Kenyans to engage in self-soul-searching in order to
find solutions to the current youth crisis and lawlessness in the country.
Ruto says
the time has come for Kenyans, especially parents, to engage with youth and
advise them to avoid being incited to engage in protests and violence that lead
to lawlessness.
He says that
all leaders and Kenyans, including the clergy, are aware of how the country has
reached its current state, and the time has come to confront the existing
challenges.
“Let’s not
cheat each other because we know it’s politics of hatred and tribalism and
incitement that brought us where we are,” said Ruto.
He said all
leaders and Kenyans must now speak to each other candidly in seeking solutions
to the youth crisis.
The
president spoke when he presided over the commissioning of the Etio Dam
developed by the regional authority KVDA.
He was with
CSs Kipchumba Murkomen and Beatrice Askul, along with PS for Treasury Dr. Chris
Kiptoo, Governors Jonathan Bii and Wisley Rotich, among others.
Ruto
regretted that many parents fear talking candidly to their children about how
to behave and the existing challenges.
“It’s time
we must all, as parents, talk to the youth openly. Let’s not incite our youth
to engage in violence and lawlessness and destruction of property,” said Ruto.
He said
tribal rhetoric and incitement cannot help the country develop and that all
Kenyans must ensure they help in charting the way forward.
“We must all
have a societal conversation about what we are doing with the current and next
generation,” said Ruto.
The
president said when he took over, his first job was to stabilise the economy, and he had achieved the same, with the shilling now exchanging at about sh128
for a dollar.
“In terms of
agriculture, we are now harvesting more maize, tea, and coffee, among other
produce, and Kenyans are happy with adequate food,” said Ruto.
He said the
government had stabilised the CBC education system with an additional 24,000
teachers expected to be employed by January next year.
He said the
government had also introduced a student-centred university funding model to
help improve higher education.
He urged
Kenyans to register with SHA, which is working well and saving many people from
selling their land or assets to pay for medication.
He said
those engaging in destructive protests must stop because it was retarding
development programmes.
He said
following the commissioning of the dam, over 2,500 acres would be put under
irrigation for avocado and other high-value crops.
“We have
worked to ensure we improve the agriculture sector through the supply of
adequate fertilizer, seeds, and now water,” said Ruto.
He said the
government, through KVDA, would give an additional sh150 million to expand the
Etio Dam so that it helps an extra 15,000 people access water, up from the current
8,000 people in the area.
The
president said over 1 billion trees had been planted under the plan to grow 15
billion trees within the next 10 years.
He has asked
residents to support the fencing of the Kaptagat Forest under a conservation
project to stop the degradation of the key water tower.
Ruto later
presided over the 9th edition of the Kaptagat Forest Integrated Conservation
Program, which PS Kiptoo spearheads.
Murkomen
said the government would not be intimidated in its resolve to deal with
anarchists and goons seeking to destroy the country.
“We will not
be intimidated by anyone, and we will use all the powers given to us to protect
this country from those seeking to cause chaos,” said Ruto.
