Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has met University student leaders at Capitol Hill, Nairobi, and held discussions touching on different issues. This comes a day after youth leaders led by youth MPs laid out their concerns concerning the state of the nation, and called for changes to be made in the country’s executive structure. Anthony Manyara, The Kenya Univesity Students’ Organization (KUSO) Chairman, said they’ve discussed a variety of issues with Raila Odinga, including the issue of extra-judicial killings, graft and the incorporation of youths in the nation’s agenda, in matters to do with unity and the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
Speaking after the meeting, Raila said it’s time for change to be effected in the country, “The change movement is on. The train has left the station, anybody who doesn’t want to move with it will be left behind,” he said, adding that this year is going to be a year of change in Kenya. Raila revealed that they also want to look at the nation’s governance structure and see what needs to be rectified, with a view of transforming it.
On Wednesday, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi and other youth leaders also struck the same note, saying youths should be included in the national agenda and fronted their proposals to the Building Bridges Initiative. They had called for the restructuring of the executive structure, outlining that the President should serve one term of seven years, “We don’t want a yoke of incumbency at the ballot again,” said Amisi, adding that the other positions may remain untouched.