President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga have officially signed a working agreement after weeks of nationwide consultations regarding the political deal. The signing ceremony, which took place at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Friday, marked a historic moment as the two leaders inked the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that outlines the future path for the country.
Before the signing, Edwin Sifuna, Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and Hassan Omar, his counterpart from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), presented the key issues that the agreement will address.
The first issue outlined was the full implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which proposes crucial reforms for the country. The opposition has long called for the government to act on this report, arguing that it could resolve 90 percent of Kenyans' issues. The report emerged after protests followed the 2022 General Election, when Raila Odinga claimed the elections had been rigged.
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This led to the intervention of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who helped bring both Raila and Ruto to the negotiation table, ultimately leading to the creation of the bipartisan NADCO team.
The NADCO report aims to tackle the cost of living, create youth employment, and establish a framework for implementing the two-thirds gender rule. The second and third issues focus on inclusivity for all minority groups and strengthening devolution to enhance local services.
The two leaders also promised to address the empowerment of youth by developing sectors like technology, the blue economy, manufacturing, and mining, with the goal of creating more job opportunities. They pledged to provide strong leadership, maintain integrity, and offer better services through a broad-based government.
Another significant issue in the agreement is the National Police Service (NPS) respecting the rights of Kenyans to protest and improving their methods of handling demonstrations, ensuring that citizens can exercise their constitutional rights safely.
National debt was also a critical concern, with both parties agreeing that a national audit should be conducted to assess the country's financial status. They also agreed to enhance accountability measures to track the use of public funds.
The fight against corruption was another focal point, with both leaders committing to strengthening institutions that enforce accountability, such as the Auditor General's office and the Controller of Budget.
The agreement also emphasized preventing the wastage of government resources to promote efficiency. Finally, the protection and promotion of the sovereignty of the Constitution were highlighted as essential to safeguarding human rights, maintaining order, and preventing the abuse of power.
