Cabinet Secretary for ICT& Digital Economy Eliud Owalo has urged youths in Nyanza to stop engaging in demonstrations and instead focus on development.
Owalo argued that the Monday and Thursday anti-government protests being undertaken in Luo Nyanza counties continue to make the region under-developed.
The Azimio-One Kenya supporters have been engaging in protests since their leader Raila Odinga called the demos.
The CS said the government of President William Ruto has earmarked several development projects it wants to implement in the Nyanza region and therefore they need a conducive working environment to undertake them.
The projects will spur the economic development of the region.
Kenya Kwanza government has approved the construction of Sh1 billion Kabonyo Fisheries Aquaculture Service and Training Centre of Excellence in Kisumu County.
President Ruto himself has launched the construction of 110 units of affordable houses in Homa Bay town as his government intends to construct a total of 5000 units across the county.
Plans are also underway for the Kenya Kwanza administration to undertake infrastructural development including roads, lake transport and water piping in the region.
Owalo said their economic blueprint also encompasses agriculture where they want to revive sugarcane and cotton production by building industries in the Nyanza region.
He said that implementation of such projects cannot be done faster when youths are used to creating chaos through engaging in anti-government demonstrations.
Owalo described the demos as retrogressive which cannot help the Nyanza region to improve economically.
“As the Luo community, we have played the politics of demos and protests for a long without getting any benefit. It is high time leaders changed tact and focused on development,” Owalo said.
Speaking on Friday during the distribution of relief food to more than 2,606 needy families in Kasupil and Kabondo Kasipul constituencies in Homa Bay County, Owalo said they will continue asking President Ruto to develop Nyanza as they agreed during campaigns.
He said government officials from the Nyanza region are ready to discuss with residents the kind of development projects it should prioritise to undertake.
Luo Nyanza counties include Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay and Siaya .
Residents from the counties have been diehard supporters of Raila.
During the demos, business activities remain paralysed due to disruptions from protesters.
Demonstrators want the government to lower the cost of living.
Raila is also calling for the opening of the 2022 presidential election servers.
But on Friday, Owalo asked youths to stop the demos because participants engaged in the destruction of properties.
“We are past the 2022 general election. As we wait for the 2027 elections we should give the government ample time to fulfil its agenda,” Owalo said.
The CS was accompanied by CAS for Roads and Transport Nicholas Gumbo, chairman of Lake Victoria South Water Work and Development Agency (LVSWWDA) Odoyo Owidi, chairman for Nuclear Energy Omondi Anyanga, former Migori MP John Pesa, Western region presidential delivery unit Sylvance Osele and Homa Bay UDA coordinator John Odek.
They distributed 600 bags of rice and 580 bags of beans to the families.
Gumbo said leaders who support demonstrations that lead to the destruction of properties do not have the interest of the Nyanza people at heart.
He instead called on the youths to refrain from the demos and support the government which will employ them.
Gumbo urged the Luo community to rally behind President Ruto because of the development initiatives he has for them.
“Majority of this community wanted Raila to be president after the 2022 elections but because the election is a competition Ruto emerged as the winner. Let's now support him because he hasn't discriminated against Luos,” Gumbo said.
Owidi said the calls by Azimio leaders to open the servers are stale and cannot take them anywhere because Ruto passed all the constitutional processes before he became president.
He told youths to avoid leaders who misuse them by supporting them involve in destructive protests.
“Demonstration will not change anything now because Ruto is already the president. Let politicians stop misusing innocent youths to destroy properties in Luo land,” Owidi said.
Osele condemned the anti-government protests because most of the destruction of properties is witnessed in Nyanza counties.
He said the Luo community will achieve its much-needed development should it avoid creating a chaotic environment.
"Let demonstrations done within the law and without destroying properties. It should be known that no amount of protests will topple Ruto from the presidency,” Osele said.