- President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga announced early Tuesday that the NMSF will get underway on Monday, July 15 and run for six days.
- But Neto said what Kenya is facing right now are constitutionalism and rule of law issues that do not need talks to resolve.
Image: FILE
Former Ndhiwa MP Agostinho Neto has rubbished the planned National Multi-Sectoral Forum saying the crisis the country finds itself now does not require dialogue.
His statement came hours after President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga announced early Tuesday that the NMSF will get underway on Monday, July 15 and run for six days.
They emphasised the importance of the talks saying the forum will propose the way forward for the country.
“We have agreed that a dialogue is the way forward out of the crisis that we are having in our country,” Raila said on the steps of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
He was flanked by Ruto, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and a host of other leaders from the government and the Opposition.
But Neto said the time to fall back on dialogue as a way of finding solutions to pressing issues facing the country is long gone.
“Hon Raila Odinga, you know how much respect I have for you. You know how I always tell you the truth, with a lot of humility. Kenya does not need dialogue. Don't be stuck in the past,” he said on X.
“What Kenya is facing right now are constitutionalism and rule of law issues. Simple! Don't massage them otherwise. You cannot dialogue about corruption; you cannot dialogue about incompetence.”
President William Ruto announced the formation of the NMSF on June 26 after weeks of Gen Z-driven mass protests demanding that the Finance Bill, 2024 be withdrawn.
He said the forum would comprise all stakeholders to address the concerns raised by the youth. The youths have distanced themselves from the forum.
Neto said the issues the NMSF purports to seek to address are contained in the Constitution, particularly Article 73 (2) on the guiding principles of leadership and integrity.
He said the section of the law states that the selection of individuals to public office should be based on their personal integrity, competence and suitability or election in free and fair elections.
Neto said the law also requires leaders to exercise objectivity and impartiality in decision-making and ensure the decisions they make are not influenced by nepotism, favouritism or other improper motives or corrupt practices.
He said leaders are further required by law to be accountable to the public for the decisions and actions they take and to remain disciplined and committed while serving the people.
“Prime minister at a minimum, these are the things Kenyans are requesting, that the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive thanks to Article 1 should do to them,” Neto said.
“They also want an audit of the public debt in line with Article 229 (4) (g) of the Constitution. Consequently, please remove the word dialogue hence from this discourse.”
Neto served as the MP for Ndhiwa in Homa Bay county from September 2012 to August 2017 on an ODM ticket.
He contested the seat at the August polls as an Independent candidate after losing the primaries to the current MP Martin Owino.