Kenyan President William Ruto will hold a historic public online forum to engage with anti-tax protesters on social media platform X Spaces.
His 31-year-old daughter Charlene Ruto calls it “the first-ever president in the world to hold an online meeting with all Gen Zers”.
She is referring to the young people behind the recent protests that shook her father’s presidency.
The protests against his financial bill were organized through X Spaces, a feature that allows users to have live audio conversations with others on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
A section of Kenyans on X have vowed to boycott the upcoming conversation with the President and have planned a parallel Space to counter the conversation.
They claim that Mr Ruto already knows their demands.
Outrage over the proposed tax hikes forced President Ruto to announce he would withdraw the legislation, which was intended to reduce Kenya’s debt burden of more than $80 billion (£63 billion).
A state-funded human rights commission estimates that more than 40 people have been killed in the protests, most of them on the day the bill was passed by lawmakers last week. The Interior Ministry says 25 protesters have been killed.
The demonstrations have now escalated into calls for Ruto to resign and demands that security forces be brought to justice for killing the protesters.
Ahead of his X Space session, President Ruto delivered a nationally televised address in which he promised a series of budget cuts, including:
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The dissolution of 47 state-owned enterprises with overlapping functions
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Suspension of purchase of new vehicles for state employees for six months
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Suspension of all non-essential travel for government officials
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Reduction of government advisors by 50%
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Cutting the budget for the first lady and the vice president’s wives.
The President has invited young people to join him at an X Space this Friday using the hashtag #EngageThePresident, between 11:00 GMT and 14:00 GMT (14:00 to 17:00 local time).
His daughter Charlene also tweeted to promote the three-hour opportunity to speak directly with the president.
“Young people, the opportunity of a lifetime is waiting for you,” she posted.
“I encourage you to use it wisely and act constructively, because you are the ones who will determine the continuity of such levels of discussion for your success.”
Several members of Ruto’s cabinet will also be present to talk to young people and discuss their complaints.
More BBC stories on Kenya’s tax crisis:
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