Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has encouraged Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to consider President William Ruto’s calls for national dialogue to address concerns raised by Kenyans amidst the anti-government demonstrations.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s ‘JKLive’ show on Wednesday night, Kuria noted that Kalonzo has a history of frequently changing his political stance, urging the former Vice President to take a firm position and fully commit to the proposed talks. Kuria mentioned that he would personally reach out to Kalonzo and Former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa on Thursday to persuade them to join the national dialogue initiative.
“Tomorrow I will place a call to my good friend Eugene Wamalwa and Kalonzo Musyoka; particularly Kalonzo. He is such a senior leader in this country for him to say I don’t want dialogue; why?” Kuria posed.
“This guy he is normally in Rock City in Ukambani with people from his community dialoguing. He is always on Maanzioni dialoguing. I want to call him and tell him not to lose this moment. That is a big problem with my friend Kalonzo. He goes one way and then the other. Can’t we just be principled because you are convinced. Don’t keep on doing calculations. Be a man for once; come and do it because you are convinced.”
Kuria’s remarks followed a statement by Wiper on Wednesday, which criticized President Ruto’s calls to engage the youth, arguing that the current regime is ignoring the message from Gen Z, which is “action now.” The opposition-affiliated party urged President Ruto to swiftly address the concerns raised by Kenyan youth during the recent protests rather than focusing on meeting with their so-called representatives.
“In terms of the Gen Z revolution, it appears that Ruto lacks an understanding of public sentiment. Generation Z does not wish to engage in dialogue. They want action, and Wiper agrees,” said the party in the statement after a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The party stated that the challenges currently facing the country go beyond dialogue and require immediate implementation. It referenced the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), formed last year to address issues surrounding the Finance Bill 2023, highlighting that despite the committee’s recommendations, the process did not meet the needs of Kenyans at the time. Similarly, Wiper emphasized that the solution lies in implementing the demands of Gen Z, which include posting medical interns, dissolving Parliament, and dismissing corrupt government officials.
“The current situation in Kenya could have been avoided if the regime had addressed rising living costs and implemented the National Dialogue Committee findings. You don’t need dialogue. Dialogue is not required to assess public debt because the Auditor General’s Office has the same role,” the statement noted.
“The attempt to usurp the Constitution by forming a task force on the subject is equally telling. You do not need dialogue to post medical interns or to sack corrupt government officials.”
