This announcement comes in response to a joint statement issued by the ruling coalition party, Kenya Kwanza, which suggested that both parties had reached an agreement to halt the protests.

“Until we agree that each party has the freedom and right to bring its issues to the table and as we continue to pursue discussion, we shall continue with our engagements with the people,” stated a spokesperson for the Azimio opposition coalition.

The statement was made shortly after Kenyan President William Ruto revealed that he had recently spoken with opposition leader Raila Odinga and other opposition leaders, and they had apparently reached a consensus to put an end to anti-government protests.

“We can compete in anything but cannot have a leader either past, present, or future that will plan chaos and bloodshed. That will not happen in Kenya,” President Ruto asserted, adding that going forward, there would be no violence, and discussions could proceed as Kenya is a free country and a democracy.

The nationwide protests in the country have been marred by police violence, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties according to reports from civil society groups.

The opposition-led protests were initially triggered by the Azimio la Umoja leaders who opposed the rising living costs attributed to tax hikes in Kenya.

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The foreign diplomats acknowledged the daily hardships faced by many Kenyans and urged all parties involved to address their concerns through meaningful dialogue and resolve their differences peacefully, with the ultimate goal of nation-building and preventing further loss of life.

The statement emphasized the readiness of the international community to support the parties in finding constructive and peaceful solutions to the challenges facing Kenya.

“We stand ready to support the parties in their efforts to find constructive and peaceful solutions,” they concluded.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Raila Odinga, in a statement released by his One Kenya Party known as Azimio La Umoja, announced a three-day series of anti-government demonstrations starting on Wednesday, July 19, despite the government’s warning that the protests will not be allowed to take place.

Odinga believes that these protests will serve as a significant turning point for the nation.

However, the Kenyan government has declared the planned demonstrations by the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Opposition Coalition as illegal, setting the stage for another potential clash between the police and protesters on Wednesday. The previous week’s violent protests called by Odinga resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 20 civilians and the arrest of over 300 people, including an opposition lawmaker.

The police have faced criticism for their heavy-handed response, including the use of tear gas against civilians, with reports even emerging of tear gas being deployed within a school setting.

The growing tension between the government and the opposition raises concerns about the potential escalation of violence and its impact on Kenya’s stability.

The international community’s call for peaceful dialogue and constructive resolutions echoes the urgent need for all parties involved to engage in productive discussions and find common ground for the betterment of the nation.

As Kenya braces for the upcoming protests, all eyes are on the government’s response and the actions of both protesters and law enforcement agencies, with hopes that a peaceful resolution can be achieved without further loss of life or destruction of property.

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President Ruto revealed that the implementation of the new digital identification number would commence within 90 days.

During a recent event held in Nairobi, Ruto referred to his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta’s project as “a complete fraud” and highlighted the enormous financial losses incurred by the country, amounting to approximately Ksh.15 billion (over USD 106 million).

He stated, “That Huduma Namba was a complete fraud because we lost almost Ksh.15 billion and got very little out of it.”

The Huduma Namba digital ID started in 2019 was aimed to provide every resident individual with a unique and permanent Personal Identification Number, assigned randomly at birth or upon registration. The number would only expire or be retired upon the individual’s death.

President Ruto made these remarks during the unveiling of over 5,000 digital government services on the eCitizen Kenya Portal, dubbed ‘Gava Mkononi,’ held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). He was given a tour of various government agencies and witnessed their digitalization efforts, emphasizing the resulting ease of access to government services for Kenyans.

In contrast to the Huduma Namba project, President Ruto asserted that his government’s digital ID initiative would be executed at a significantly lower cost. He remarked, “We must demonstrate in the next 90 days that it is possible for us to have a digital ID without spending Ksh.15 billion and without defrauding the people of Kenya. Those who did that should be ashamed of themselves.”

The Gava Mkononi App, heralded as a tool to enhance access to government services, revenue collection, and service delivery, will integrate the services offered by Gava Express—a model inspired by Huduma Centers, aiming to provide grassroots-level services.

The implementation of Gava Express will be a collaborative effort between the government and the private sector, with plans to establish over 300,000 outlets.

Kenya had previously invested millions of dollars in the rollout of the digital ID project known as Huduma Namba. However, the project has since been discontinued. The new government now envisions implementing similar digital ID initiatives but with additional features.

While digital IDs hold the potential to improve government services and financial inclusion, concerns regarding privacy and security arise due to the collection and storage of personal information.

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