You can Express Your Feelings Without Insulting the President—Farouk Kibet To Gen Z

An aide to President William Ruto has challenged the Gen Z protesters to tone down on hurling insults at elected leaders.

Speaking in Nairobi on Saturday, Kibet urged the youth protesters to exercise restraint while addressing leaders and voicing their concerns against the Finance Bill 2024.

Kibet also confessed that he was not a regular social media user. He said however that it was alarming the abandon with which foul language and insults have lately been directed at Members of Parliament and the president as Kenyans expressed resentment for the proposals in the Bill.

“In my life, I have never used Twitter or Facebook, my phone has no such things. I want the young people to take this opportunity to focus on their studies and refrain from using foul language,” he said.

“You can express yourself without abusing your neighbour, it is possible. We don’t want people who take pictures and write things claiming you are the one who wrote them.”

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The president’s aide defended his boss over the push of the Bill saying that Ruto had good intentions for Kenyans and that the Finance Act would mean well for the people and the nation.

According to him, the MPs who are currently facing criticism for voting in support of the Bill are also considerate of the plight of Kenyans and have the public’s interests at heart.

“Ruto cares about Kenyans’ welfare. He can’t approve a bill that hurts Kenyans. If you stand as a leader, be caring about other people. Our president cares about Kenyans’ welfare, he is not the kind of person who passes Bills to hurt Kenyans,” he said.

“So I want to tell those Kenyans, there’s no Kenyan who wishes ill on other Kenyans. The president is leading a country where we found a huge debt left by the former regime, which we don’t know how it will be paid. If it is not paid, our country will be auctioned like Ethiopia.”

Mr Kibet consequently advised the youth to instead focus their energy on education and entrust President Ruto and their elected leaders to shape the future of the country.

Kibet argued that the current regime found a nation that was suffering from debt and thus it would take time to implement changes.

“No Kenyan who wishes ill on other Kenyans. The president is leading a country where we found a huge debt left by the former regime, which we don’t know how it will be paid. If it is not paid, our country will be auctioned like Ethiopia.”

“Because the president wants a united nation, he has given Kenyans a chance to give their views on the Bill and I want to thank MPs because no MP can pass a bill to harm Kenyans,” he said.

Members of the Kenya Editors Guild have often dissuaded reporters from quoting the numerous Twitter handles with the name of Farouk Kibet. Today he confirmed he does not run a twitter account. Another notable figure often misquoted but who does not operate a social media page is Jubilee Party Deputy Chairman Mr. David Murathe.

One of the numerous Twitter accounts for Murathe is verified but still not his own.