Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir has backed calls by his Party boss Raila Odinga on the need for a national dialogue to foster unity.
Nassir says there is disconnect between the government and the youthful generation, a reason why the two factions need to come together and deliberate on how the country will move forward.
Addressing a congregation at the Kongowea Methodist Church in Nyali recently, Nassir noted that what the youth are demanding is not huge assignment from their leaders but a unity that will solve all the issues raised.
Nassir noted that there is urgent need to restore the bond between generations.
“There is a clear disconnect. The wisdom of our elders and the energy of our youth must not exist in silos. It is time to talk and more importantly, it is time to listen. Let’s rebuild the bridges that make us stronger as a society,” he said
Nassir’s sentiments come amid heated debate about the proposed dialogue between the government and the youthful generation, the Gen-Zs.
ODM Leader Raila Odinga has been pushing for a national dialogue saying it is the only way to hatch national unity and chat the way forward, barely two years to the 2027 general elections.
Critical
Raila, says when the government and the youth come together, most of the “thorny issues” surrounding governance and leadership will be conclusively deliberated.
“Let us dialogue with our youth, lets listen and engage with them so that no one is pulling on the opposite direction. We must protect our nation,” said Raila recently.
Objection
However, the Gen-Zs have ignored any calls for national dialogue and vowed to distance themselves from such attempts.
The youth stated that President William Ruto and ODM Leader Raila Odinga united and shared slots in government without considering their demands.
“We did not protest for Raila to directly benefit from Ruto’s government. We have had several national dialogues and engagements which yielded nothing for Kenyans. We will not be lured into Ruto-Raila’s political gimmicks,” read a statement issued by the Gen-Zs.
Attempts
Kenya has had the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) which was thrashed by the Supreme court that ruled, the President (by then President Uhuru Kenyatta) had acted in excess of his powers by initiating the constitution amendment process through the BBI.
The country has also had the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), which was established to facilitate dialogue and consensus-building on constitutional, legal, and policy reforms.
The committee that comprised of 10 members, focused on key areas including electoral justice, the composition and reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and the formalisation of the National Constituency Development Fund (NCDF). The report’s recommendations have been considered by Parliament, with some already being implemented through legislative proposals.
