President William Ruto continued his engagement with religious leaders on Saturday by hosting bishops from the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) at State House. This follows a similar meeting with Catholic Church leaders on Friday.
Led by Presiding Archbishop Samson Muthuri, a total of 96 bishops from various parts of the country attended the meeting. Ruto is seeking support from the clerics ahead of the multi-sectoral talks aimed at addressing contentious issues in the recently withdrawn Finance Bill, 2024.
Ruto stated that the religious leaders committed to participating in the talks. He also highlighted his administration’s deliberate programs and policies designed to create job and income opportunities for the youth. These initiatives include the Affordable Housing Programme, digital jobs, labor migration, and industrialization through county aggregation, industrial parks, and special economic zones.
“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 said.
Ruto was forced to withdraw the Bill after widespread protests from Kenyans who termed it oppressive.
He has proposed that the talks to chart the way forward on matters relating to the content of the Bill be held within the next 14 days.
This, he added, will also include the auxiliary issues raised in recent days on the need for austerity measures and strengthening our fight against corruption.
“There is a need for us as a nation to pick up from here and go into the future and because we have gotten rid of the Finance bill, it is necessary for us a nation going forward to have a conversation on how to manage the affairs of the country together, our debt situation and the budget deficit that exist,” he said.
