Ruto, Raila Sign Historic Political Agreement

President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a prominent opposition leader, have signed a political agreement after several weeks of nationwide consultations on the matter.

The historic event, which took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Friday, marked a significant milestone as the two leaders affixed their signatures to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to guide the country's development.

What were the key agreements between the two parties?

One of the primary issues addressed was the full implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which called for crucial reforms in the country. The opposition has long urged the government to execute the recommendations, emphasizing that 90% of the issues affecting Kenyans would be resolved by doing so.

The report came to light following protests after the 2022 General Election, during which Raila Odinga claimed the election had been rigged. This led to former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo mediating talks between Raila and Ruto, resulting in the formation of the NADCO team, which compiled the report. The report highlights several issues, including the cost of living, youth employment, and the implementation of gender equality in the two-thirds gender rule.

Additionally, the second and third matters discussed involved the inclusion of all minority groups and the strengthening of devolution to improve local service delivery.

The two leaders also agreed to safeguard the livelihoods of young people by promoting opportunities in sectors like technology, the blue economy, industry, and mining, thereby creating job prospects.

Moreover, they pledged to maintain leadership integrity within the broader government to ensure quality service delivery to the citizens.

Other key points included:

• National Police Service (NPS): They agreed that the NPS must respect the constitutional rights of Kenyans to demonstrate peacefully and improve methods of handling protesters exercising their constitutional rights.
• Citizens' Right to Assemble: Both parties vowed to ensure people’s right to assemble, while also promising to compensate individuals whose rights have been violated.
• National Debt: The issue of national debt was also crucial in the agreements, with both parties agreeing that a national audit should be conducted to assess the country's fiscal health.
• Accountability: The commitment to strengthening accountability measures was highlighted, particularly focusing on public financial management to ensure effective use of resources.
• Anti-Corruption: In the fight against corruption, Ruto and Raila agreed to enhance the capacity of institutions responsible for accountability, such as the Auditor General and the Budget Controller.
• Government Resource Management: They discussed preventing the loss of state resources to improve efficiency and ensure better service delivery.
• Constitutional Protection: Finally, they agreed to protect and enhance constitutional powers, with a focus on safeguarding human rights, maintaining stability, and preventing abuse of power.