By Reporter
Lamu East Member of Parliament Ruweida Obo has called on Kenyans to engage in dialogue with its leadership and refrain from participating in further protests in a bid to prevent the country descending into chaos.
Speaking in Lamu today, the legislator stated that despite the Anti-Finance Bill protests had proven an eye opener for the country’s leadership adding that the President’s restraint in signing the Bill was a sign that the country’s leadership is not tone deaf to the plight of the regular mwananchi.
She acknowledged to voting yes for the Finance Bill 2024 , adding that her reasons for voting for the Bill are anchored towards ensuring development for Lamu East which she said stood to benefit from a further injection of Kshs 50 million for the Last Mile Electricity connectivity.
“The country’s leaders which include the executive and the legislature will now have to look for alternative solutions to enable the funding of critical development projects in roads and energy supply for areas that have long been marginalized like Lamu East,” Captain Obo said.
She further said that dialogue is the best route for enabling solutions to be reached rather than the endless engagement in protests which she said are likely to further hamper the country’s economic outlook.
“In counties particularly the coast, which are dependent on tourism as a major revenue earner stand to lose if we Kenyans and especially the younger Generation (GEN Z) engage in endless protests which are likely to scare away tourists and lead to the loss of jobs across all sectors due to a countrywide shutdown,” the Lamu East MP said.
She added that she has aligned herself with the Kenya Kwanza administration in a bid to ensure that she is better able to lobby for development funds and projects in Lamu East which the legislator expounded has yet to have an inch of tarmac.
Sentiments echoed by Hashim Famau a Kiunga resident who threw his weight behind the legislator’s remarks stating that youths need to exercise restraint in a bid to avoid the country descending into anarchy like some of our neighboring countries.
He added that sectors such as tourism had already taken a big hit, adding that tourists are already cancelling bookings across hotels in the coast.
Famau said that there is need for youths to enable the leaders exercise their mandate, until the end of the five year term and either vote them back in or out based on their leadership score card.
Ahmed Nyerere, a Mkomani ward resident in his remarks stated that the ongoing protests if allowed to further fester can lead to anarchy and the decline of the country.
He further said that Kenyans should allow dialogue and inclusion among leaders to take place in a bid of preventing the country going in flames in a single day.
“Youths and especially the upcoming generation need to start exercising their displeasure more at the ballot rather than taking to the streets and disrupting normal businesses,” Tima Athman, a Faza ward resident said.
She also said that apart from protests, there is need to engage in other avenues of engagement such as passing on views on issues that need to be resolved through our elected leaders.
