NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 7-President William Ruto has asked youths in Nyanza region to stop anti-government protests which scare away investors.
President Ruto said many investors are willing to invest in the region but fear violent protests that sink their businesses, particularly during the election period.
“I travel around the world woeing investors to our country but when they hear about the violence in Nyanza they get scared,” he said, “so you need to stop this violence,” he said during his second-day tour of the region,
He was speaking in Homabay which is Azimio la Umoja Leader Raila Odinga’s political bastion. Odinga narrowly lost to Ruto — his fifth presidential election defeat. Earlier this year, he staged protests across the country.
On Saturday, the President disclosed that the government had managed to find foreign investors eager to invest in the tourism sector within Homa Bay County but they fear the violence.
“Investors asked me about this region being a violent zone where people’s property is destroyed and where demonstrations are held every Monday. No investment will come to Kenya when there are violent protests,” said President Ruto.
Odinga’s Azimio coalition staged nine days of street protests earlier in the year against the government, with the rallies sometimes degenerating into looting after deadly clashes between security forces and demonstrators.
The opposition leader called off demonstrations in May after Ruto agreed to dialogue, but the talks broke down, prompting the Azimio coalition to organize several rounds of protests in July.
The protests were, however, called off to give room for talks by the National Dialogue Committee which includes leaders from both the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party.
A report from the team is expected to be submitted to Parliament once the talks are concluded.
