Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has attributed the growing anger among the youth to the insensitivity of government officials regarding the country’s current affairs. He emphasized that young people desire a more inclusive government that addresses emerging issues such as the high cost of living and unemployment.

Youth’s Frustrations

“We gave them the ammunition to fight back by showing off our opulence, corruption, and wasteful use of public resources. Essentially, they are pointing out how insensitive we are to the impact of our decisions on the well-being of our people in the face of difficulties arising from domestic and external shocks,” Mudavadi stated.

National Development Implementation Committee Meeting

Mudavadi made these remarks while chairing the inaugural National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) meeting at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi. The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including Cabinet and Principal Secretaries, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Attorney General Justin Muturi, and Solicitor General Shadrack Mose, among others. The attendees observed a minute of silence in honor of the youth who lost their lives during recent protests.

Call for Improved Governance

Mudavadi noted that young people have sent a clear message to the government, expressing their dissatisfaction with current efforts. He stressed the importance of assessing whether senior government officials have supported President William Ruto in enhancing the country’s governance and fulfilling his promises of social and economic transformation.

Focus on Election Pledges

While acknowledging that the protests against the Finance Bill 2024 were hijacked by criminal elements, Mudavadi underscored the need to refocus on the government’s election pledges. “In just three years from now, we will be asking our people to renew our mandate to lead this beautiful nation for another five years. The fundamental question is: What will our scorecard look like? We must all strive to win the hearts and trust of the people in the remaining period by rolling up our sleeves and going back to work for them,” he urged.