President William Ruto on Wednesday joked about social media platform X being turned into a place for 'Kusalimiana'.
Speaking at the Linzi Sukuk Bell-ringing ceremony as it joins the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Ruto attributed 'Kusalimiana' to the internet availability with nothing useful to do.
Kusalimiana is a Swahili word loosely translated to "Greeting each other".
The President said the administration created its own troubles with the youth, by making the internet available.
He said while the intention was good, sometimes the internet is used to send "encouraging messages" to leaders.
"I think it would be a very good experience from what is going on now I think that platform is being used more 'Kusalimiana'. Sometimes you become the architect of your own troubles.
"When we delivered Wi-Fi across Kenya and made it free, we intended it to be used for good purposes, for people to access the e-Commerce space, work on that internet but sometimes it is used to send us encouraging messages," Ruto said.
The word was coiled by Kenyan youths during the Gen Z anti-government protests to share their minds or attack elected and appointed government leaders.
It happens when one shares a personal contact of the leader in question on X, asking others to Salimia him or her.
This extended to the youths who were believed to have betrayed the Gen Z course.
President Ruto's remarks came as he talked about the government making the internet available for jobs for Kenyans.
He added that he looks forward to seeing many Kenyans trade and take up many online jobs.
"As we deliver internet and make it more accessible, then it can be made useful through access to digital jobs which we are working round the clock to make sure it is available and also do more e-Commerce, e-Trading more space to trade on Government bonds, securities and shares at the stock exchange and many other of those aspects," he said.
