UDA MP Defends Kenya Kwanza Govt Over Unemployment, System Failure

President William Ruto held a meeting with Kirinyaga County leaders, including Woman Representative Njeri Maina at State House Nairobi.
President William Ruto held a meeting with Kirinyaga County leaders, including Woman Representative Njeri Maina at State House Nairobi.
Njeri Maina

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has addressed the mounting frustrations over unemployment and system inefficiencies, which have recently sparked protests and unrest among the youth.

Speaking at Citizen TV, Njeri sought to clarify the root causes of the issues, distancing the current government from blame.

"I don’t understand the frustration of the young people because, factually speaking, the high rate of unemployment and system failure we are experiencing is not the making of the Kenya Kwanza government," Maina stated. 

"We have had successive governments, and if you look at how we have been doing things, the young people are telling us that the system is no longer working, but the system is not working anymore because, quote and quote, it has been created that way by the Kenyan government."

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina when she was admitted to the bar as an Advocate of the High Court.
Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina when she was admitted to the bar as an Advocate of the High Court.
Njeri Maina

Njeri emphasized the need for a candid national dialogue, urging all stakeholders to acknowledge the historical context of Kenya's systemic issues. 

She highlighted the protesting youth's initial demands, including the rejection of the finance bill and a cabinet reshuffle. 

Despite the parliament passing the finance bill with a majority, President William Ruto chose to dismiss the entire cabinet rather than assenting to the bill, a move that Njeri suggests indicates an attempt to address deeper structural problems.

"We must also have a very honest conversation with ourselves," Maina continued. 

"When the young people came out first to the streets, they had a list of demands. Top of them was rejecting the finance bill, and then it came down to a cabinet reshuffle. The president refused to assent to the bill even though parliament had passed it with a majority. The president went ahead to dismiss the whole cabinet."

The Mount Kenya leader expressed concern over what she perceives as an exploitation of the youth's grievances for political gain. 

She alluded to a broader agenda behind the protests, questioning whether the unrest is genuinely about holding the government accountable or if it is part of a scheme to destabilize the administration.

"From where I stand, it seems some people have hijacked the Gen Z agenda to push their narrative," Maina observed. 

"We have seen looting and destruction of property. Are the youth calling for accountability to the point of wanton anarchy? It seems like there is another agenda to topple the president, and that is where the worry is pegged on."

During his campaigns, President Ruto assured Kenyans that he would eliminate the unemployment issue in the country.

Ruto also vowed to lead a functional government that would bring an end to the bureaucracy that limited the common mwananchi from accessing justice and basic government services.

Police officers during a protests in Kenya
Police officers during protests in Nakuru on June 25, 2024
Photo
LOISE MACHARIA