Amid weeks of bloody nationwide protests, President William Ruto on Saturday held a meeting with 96 bishops of Independent Pentecostal Church Africa on how to provide opportunities for Kenyan youths.
Mr Ruto, in a post on X on Saturday, announced that his government plans to embark on a “multi-sectoral forum” to create “affordable housing programmes, digital jobs, labour migration amongst other opportunities for young Kenyans.
“Met leaders of the African Independent Pentecostal Church Africa who committed to take part in the multi-sectoral forum, State House Nairobi,” Mr Ruto said.
“The proposed youth and multi-sectoral forums will give the youth and other stakeholders a platform to discuss these and other national economic challenges that face our country,” he added.
This comes after weeks of bloody protests against Mr Ruto’s Finance Bill which proposed tax imposition on cars, phones, bread, sanitary pads and other commodities.
During the protests, some Kenyans expressed their frustrations over endemic corruption, unemployment and economic hardship, calling for Mr Ruto to resign.
The protest saw over 25 killed, hundreds injured and over 50 abducted as Kenyan police brutally clamped down on protesters.
Mr Ruto, however, bowed to pressure, withdrawing the controversial bill as youths remained on the streets in vehement opposition defying brutal attacks from police.
In response to Mr Ruto’s Saturday’s announcement, some Kenyans, apparently still angry over the brutal killing of protesters by police, have dismissed the president’s engagement with clerics as a wrong priority.
“You are addressing the wrong crowd, visit the hospitals and morgues across the country and see for yourself the atrocities you have committed against the Kenyan Youth, those are the people you should be addressing. Faith and Prayers cannot fix a broken Nation. #RutoMustGo,” an X user, @Ramzy_y said.
Another X user, @Bigjoe_KE said “Young people were never your priority, otherwise, what happened to free basic education? What happened to affordable university education? You will not believe it!”
@RobinsoMuiru said, “How many of these religious leaders are ICT experts to understand the digital jobs available? How many AI/AGI companies have they initiated? Are there robotics companies these leaders have propagated? Other continents are building EVs, humanoids like optimus from Tesla, while church leaders are used to oversee things development in Africa.”