President William Ruto is set to lead the Executive arm of government during the upcoming two-day National Executive Retreat, which will focus on the country’s slowing economy and the rate of employment.
The retreat, comprising Ruto, his Deputy, Kithure Kindiki, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and senior government officials, will commence on Thursday, June 19, and run until Friday, June 20.
The high-level engagement comes at a time when the country faced a fresh round of protests, akin to those witnessed last year during the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
Kenyans, mostly in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), protested against the killing of popular influencer Albert Ojwang. The demonstrations turned violent, with goons infiltrating the protests and police shooting a mask hawker at point-blank range.
Even so, according to Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau, the retreat will serve as an opportunity for the Executive to conduct its midterm review.
“The 3rd upcoming National Executive Retreat will provide a moment to take stock of progress, evaluate impact, and make informed decisions about the path ahead,” Wanjau noted in a statement.
“The question of the moment will be: what difference have our efforts made in the lives of Kenyans, and where should efforts be recast to enhance delivery?” she posited.
Consequently, Wanjau seemingly intimated that the retreat will address the state of employment in the country, which she described as having been recorded as “below target”.
She cited the 2025 Economic Survey report, which revealed that the labour market recovery was slower than expected, especially for the youth, who make up the bulk of Kenyans, and other vulnerable groups. “This remains an area of concern and a call to action.”
In addition, the economy is expected to be another key area of concern during the retreat. Wanjau noted that the country’s fiscal position was under pressure, hampering the government’s ability to deliver on its programmes.
Once again, she referenced the survey, disclosing that it provided insight into areas where ambitions were yet to be fully realised.
“It reminds us that while meaningful progress is underway, the journey towards lasting transformation continues,” she stated.
Aside from the two critical issues, it remains to be seen whether Ruto will address the shooting of Boniface Kariuki, the mask hawker, and the planned protests of Wednesday, June 25, in honour of Gen Zs who lost their lives during last year’s skirmishes.
