 Ah, you caught us. Hiya. So we're just getting to know each other and you just happened to find me asking him what youth means to him, which is a very interesting question and I can't wait to hear his answer. However, let me just bring you up to speed real quick. My name is Valentine or at Colour Me Vals. Always an honor to be just around you. One hour like at 254 on Facebook, 254 on Twitter, Y254 on the Squared channel on the Grand Hashtag of the day. It's one in the morning. It's a beautiful Monday, nothing low about it except someone's suit. Who don't want to to say. Yeah, talk to us, interact with us. We want to hear you. We want to see you. We want to know you. And we also, wait. His Excellency President William Ruto excitedly announced 100 scholarship opportunities for commoner students to study in Kenya. That was three days ago. A couple of weeks ago, his Excellency, Riga Degashagwa also attended a graduation and told them, akuna yo, jobs. What has your president done for you today? Yeah, good morning. Hi guys. Hi. How are you? We're doing good. Why are you so blue though? It's my color. Blue is my color. Sorry, sorry. Next, I'm going to say it in your side. Yeah, I'm going to say it. Please introduce yourself to the people. So my name is Mashaki Protich. I'm a student leader at Zitec University. I'm interested in matters ethics, governance and liberation politics. I'm a leader world-rounded. I'm a secretary general of an organization called Lukamo, which is determined in improving the lives of the youth and encouraging them to do innovations and supporting them. Yeah, that's me. That's Mashaki. What kind of innovations? What kind of innovations? Yeah. I'll give an example. We as an organization are helping the youth. For example, in the place I'm coming from, in the university that I'm in, there's a certain student who is good at making liquid soaps. But the guy has not had a platform to market his soap and gets to earn money out of it. So us as Lukamo, we come in and chip in to market and to organize them to have some employers so that they can supply the product they have. Soap and muddle. You're strong, yeah. We'll talk about it. And you are? Okay, my name is Osundwa Chief. I'm from Zitec University. I'm a student leader. I'm their secretary general. And my passion is about youth in leadership and youth in politics. Yeah. We were just asking each other. Youth, what is youth to you? Youth to me. Youth to me are those young people. Young, young people. Between the age of maybe, from maybe they're 18 to maybe 35, just above 35. You're Sunday youth. Who are yearning maybe in the shipyard. That's the only youth. How old are you? I'm 37 years old. 37 years old. 40 is a new 20, at least. 35, above 36 years old. Did not just. He did not just because we're telling each other where the youth of today are to be. And points to me, a young person in parliament right now. A young person. We have lineage children. Yeah. I'm 282. Yeah. Yeah, but you can count them with your fingers. One, two, three, four. The rest are above. Maybe the rest are above. I think me too, too maybe. But the rest are above. Do you feel like the youth are disregarded? Yes, we are. Yeah, we are the, it's in French assessed and they are more regarded in matters for more leadership. And that is what is worrying me. And those people like my friend has said there are more innovative people and they should be maybe given priorities in matters of governance, in matters of making policies in our national politics or our national government. I have a very sensitive question to ask you. Please remember this is not a reflection of the stations thoughts or thought process. It's just us talking. But I don't know if it's true or not, but what are two new days? Because we said we're youth, right? So, Mesh, let me start with you. Do you think we don't have a voice because we're not very stable as a people, as youths? Like, you know, if you're a young person, if you're a young person, you know, so by definition, maybe we don't know enough to be leading. Is that true? I think that's true because the youth have not been given a platform to do what they can do best. For me, I know the youth as brilliant people. This Gen Z generation, the youth of this generation, they are good in matters of leadership, innovations, and content creations. They are best in it. And I feel that the government has not given them a platform. And I'll talk most probably about leadership. We have not been given a space to do leadership in this country. We are not giving them jobs. We are not giving them platform. What do you want the youth to do? Do we have to be given things? What do you want the youth to do? Okay, as you said... Why do you feel so entitled? And by you, I mean you. I'm not making it personal. We are not so entitled. Why? But we are feeling like we are left out. We are left out. Do you have any idea why you are left out? Why are you left out? We had positions like C.A.S. Thank God they were scrapped off. Yeah, thank God. There is no single youth that was elected as was appointed in those positions. Even like a ministry... Let us be given even one ministry like sports. We can do better than even the... The famous words. You know those C.A.S. in Ruto's cabinet. You know them. We youths, we can do better than them. We know and we understand. Yeah. Do you feel like you are left out? No. So, what... Okay, what now I'm surprised about? What maybe is paining me is that we like young leaders we have not come out so clearly and we have not yet started that conversation. Yeah. And people who maybe are coming out they are moving to the opposition side. But there is no any youth who is coming out so vibrant who is saying or who is maybe fighting for our rights. Who is saying maybe youth must be included somewhere or we must get this. So, and we have started that conversation and we will continue that conversation. We will continue to come out. I will continue to come out. I will continue to come out. And in the near future we will try to come out. And delaying in near future. And I want also to oppose this guy. Oppose? The youth, we are not for coming out. Basically when you say coming out, you mean Manda Manu. Yes. I don't want the picture of the youth to be... I don't want this picture of the youth are for Manda Manu. Now, as we talk about Manda Manu I want to give you examples. Recently, during the Sabah Sabah Manda Manu how many lives did we lost? And even before I say it I want to pass my condolences to the student who was killed in Kisi County. Her name is Eunice. Us as comrades, we lost one of our own because of the Sabah Sabah Manda Manu. We have lost many people in this country because of Manda Manu. And I don't want this act of saying the youth are for Manda Manu. We are not for Manda Manu. We can issue out or we can tell our issues best. It's not a must for us to go for Manda Manu. Basically that's a political move and many people do this because of their political benefits. So the youth are not for Manda Manu. Please let us kill that in the atmosphere. But as we talk now you have agreed that we are in Manda Manu. Nobody is coming out. You have said somebody was killed. God forbid. They were in Manda Manu, right? No, no, no. Can you tell me an example of a youth who is just coming out like he's not going in opposition side he's not going for Manda Manu. I believe the youth can come with their own forum. It's not a must for us youth to join the opposition. Yeah, it's not a must. We can do our own, you see. We can create our own channel. How we can issue our grievances. What if maybe that's now the conversation I'm talking about we must now start it. And by the way, the conversation of fighting out our views. The student who was killed was from Kisi County and the Cabinet Secretary for Education comes from the same county and he has said nothing concerning that girl. And that says much on what kind of leaders we have in this country. No, actually, I'm quite concerned about the youth. If we decided to be organized, for example, we had a media blackout. Media is quite powerful right now. It's taking over the world, isn't it not? This is the world we're living in. This is what we're coming into. If we decided to kill him too, I took it to Twitter, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit. If we just all decided to shout, would not the international community see us? But no. What we want maybe No, you want to be returning of your class. What we want that now platform in the organization the youth now we are championing for youth rights. It still has to be organized. Can you just be organized about it? You have not been organized. And that's why I'm saying I personally am the secretary general of an organization called Lukam. This is not it's an ungovernmental organization. We don't choose sides in the political field. We champion for the things concerning youth. Also, there's a guy who started the Kenya Comrade Solidarity movement. This guy is not in government and is not in opposition. So youth come up with their own thing. It's not a must for you to go opposition or to government so that your issues can be heard. You don't have to shout. We don't have to. That was not even part of the topic by the way. It was a very nice conversation. Very much. Hashtags when in the morning. The headline today on the pay pair the 10th day of July there's no place for small tribes in public service. To go to 2023. How we still being tribal? Do you think it's an issue? Tribalism is an issue in Kenya. It is not a new thing. It's something that has been there ever since the founding fathers came in place. And right now the way we are moving in the next generation tribalism is not going to be an issue. Why are you so confident? I'm so confident because this then the youth have interacted in campuses. The youth have interacted in in tivets and in various forums. People are having friends not based on any community you see. Like for example I'm a leader at Zittac University right? But I don't lead only the Kalingin because I'm a Kalingin. I lead the whole school and all students of Zittac University. Do you feel that sometimes you are privileged or maybe they side track you because of who you come from, who you are, where you come from? Do you feel like it's a disadvantage to you? It's not a disadvantage, it's an advantage because I've been given the platform to lead. And among the things that I'm championing for is the solidarity of the students. The oneness. Let's talk in one voice. We don't have to talk because you are your I'm Kalingin, we don't have to engage. That's a wrong thing. And for us who are in the political arena of the Kenyan government, I think that's something we must kill. Yes. How do you feel about this? It's fine. On matters of tribalism it's so discerning and I want to say that it will be a very hard task to end tribalism in Kenya and tribal politics. I want to disagree with my brother that in the near future it will be done away with tribalism. I can't see a way of ending tribalism because our leaders from the top they are championing for tribalism and they could not have been where they are right now because of us without tribalism. Yeah. We are much into tribalism and I don't think if maybe it will be a miracle maybe spirits of our ancestors or the spirits of our leaders who maybe went long time ago we can end tribalism but right now I don't see end through because even in our campus politics I'm a leader because the basis of maybe tribalism that now we are electing leaders now that is why now you see in parliament like I've said those people who are throwing chairs they're incompetent Yeah. Do you think okay this is not even a question I don't want to say it because this is something that I've seen time and time again especially during the campaigning season you see there is a strong hold like corruption corruption corruption yes. So really if it's stemming from the campaigning season what are you seeing here? What are you seeing here? What I'm seeing here is I'm seeing here is I'm seeing here is explain what that means who are the investors? The government is a the investors are tribes like Kalenjin and Kikuyu there are more investors in the government and we are not lying about that and I'll stand for my community and you'll give me time to stand for my community you cannot say Kalenjin and Kikuyu have dominated the country you see the top positions are looking for competent people who can come and champion for the rights of Kenyans and what they can do to normal people so if a Kikuyu or a Kalenjin is competent then why should he not be given a chance? Is it? Perhaps a problem with numbers You know in leadership No no no no Leadership is treated by attitude and among the attributes of leadership is competency and sacrifice to the betterment of humanity If a Kalenjin, for instance comes to your office looks for a job and then another tribe comes to your office and is less competent to the Kalenjin who are you going to offer the job? But my friends here were not talking about competency You can even see what's happening you can say out of 10 positions 8 Kalens are competent Yes It's not even logical Why is it not logical? It's very disturbing that you are a champion for the youth but now you are a youth Is there not a problem there? It's a problem that's why I started by saying I'm disheartened and I'm surprised I don't know where we are heading to That was my view about Symbolism It will take time as a Sakenya to heal from that disease Yes So it's a problem So after we've finished say Wait a minute I have to tell my brother now, if it's a problem you as a leader first you have to be a decision maker and a solution maker You have to be more brilliant to see the problem that people are facing and come up with solutions on how to curb the problem So what solutions do you have instead of coming on live and telling us that it's a problem and then we leave it like that That's why I said we must have leaders from the top Especially the president Yes Those people must have those spirits of Thomas Ankara The spirits that they not exclude anyone in government It will start there It will not start by us down here It will start at the top So the moment we elect people who are more trebolistic it will not end any soon What solutions do you have You cannot come on live telling us about spirits How do you want the spirit of Moe How do you want the spirit of These people are dead And rest in peace to the four fathers But I want to tell my brother the solution is not spirits Come up with a modern solution What is your solution If you fit in let you be given the opportunity As long as you fit in you have the required you are able to do what you want to do Yes I'm not sure if you're familiar with the book Animal Farm Some people are more equal Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others I want to say a little bit before time runs away from us So today the verdict is about to come out for the finance bill You had me at doubling VATE and then you came in with the housing and then suddenly now EPA is just doing things illegally out of their mandates Surely we cannot be at 195.53 What is that Do you see the number of fathers increased by they are very annoyed And I can tell that you are very annoyed on I can see it in your face I can see it in your face It's carrying me one million What? I don't know how to say it I will say I will say I will say I will say I will say I will say No other means of me getting as quiet All right so they are about to take a part What fascinated me is learning that the court can't deliberate Yes, the judiciary is a separate by itself Yes, there we go, but it's self-suffering. Anyway, it's an independent institution. So, as it is, it can take apart the financial system. For example, my heart is breaking small as I'm saying this, but for example, if they agreed this 3% house levy should go forth, but something else would remain. So, if they refused Fiat to be doubled, maybe they would agree that Maftai Baki to Madinapak Baki Manpata. So, what do you want as a person, Kabla Trindile? What do you want to stay? What do you want to go? What do you think is fair that it should stay? Because I can be upset all I want about tax, but that's the only way the country will grow. That's the only way to make money and grow as an economy. But what do you think is really unfair about that finance bill? I've heard you, Val, and it's so sad to see government institutions doing things illegally. Like, for example, IPRA. This thing has not been passed. It's illegal, I think it's illegal. And it shows a bad picture on the government. And I move the opinion and I want to second you that some of the things shall pass, some shall remain. You know you people focused on the housing levy and what? Housing and petroleum and VAT. But then there are many other things that the finance bill has. Like, for example, money banking, its tax was increased from 12% to 15%. And electronic banking was left that way. And yet, many people in Kenya right now are using money banking to do their transactions, you see. So, those are some of the things that should go back to the National Assembly for debating. Though some people have issues concerning National Assembly, and I had last week the majority whip, Sylvain Ososoro talking somewhere saying they had to pay some MPs so that they could not turn up for the finance bill. And those are some of the things that should go back to the National Assembly. These people should be competent enough to go debate and go do things in favour of the normal monarchy and of the people that voted them in to go to that position. So, some of the things should go back to the National Assembly. Like, for example, the Senate was complaining they were not involved in matters housing. And yet it's an issue affecting even the counties, you see. So, it should go back. Let the Senate be given its honour. Meanwhile, my president is giving scholarships for people to study in Kenya. Talk to me, Jeff. It's amazing. It's wonderful, isn't it? It's amazing. And I wonder if it's going to be implemented. Maybe it's just a word of mouth. Because right now nobody is sure of what my president is saying. But meanwhile, he's just always talking to the media. He's always talking. Children are so innocent and just say what they believe. But if that scholarships are going to help even the comrades of Kenya. If the comrades of Kenya can go to the other countries to do further studies. If there's a problem, there's no struggle with the scholarships. It's just a word of mouth. If it's going to help, and I hope it is going to. We wish the government all the best. Talk to me, Jeff. I know the government. You know what Muna Inchi wants to hear. Maybe the basic commodities. Maybe something like petrol, something like wonga, something like skari. That's what you want to hear. But now if you're bringing us a house levy. Like you're 3% and maybe... That is like discriminating other people in the society. Like you're saying, those who are working, watch out when you're not working. Do you know 97% of Kenya's population is under 50,000. 53% are working under 50,000. There's a lot of HIV. They have increased HIV, they have increased everything. And I think... How is that? How is that less than 50%? How is... And I want to ask the courts of Kenya. Because it's today that they are going to say something about the finance bill. The courts should stand firm in the voice of the normal people. They should consider even the person earning 20,000, earning 10,000. The courts should be able to say something today. And I really hope they are going to. I trust in the courts of Kenya. And it showed its competency when it demolished the office of the CASS. I know we are coming to that... The House of Justice have been so busy. Because let me tell you something about the CASS position. We saw their salaries. Each one of them were earning up to 1 million and something a year. There were how many CASSs? Fifty. Fifty. Additional 27 for no reason. Fifty million shillings. Up to 51 because of their allowances. These people have security. He needs more hands and minds. How are we going to pay these people using money coming from the taxpayers? And then also we have the same person is increasing fuel. If the amount of money is 2,000, it will increase by 16%. Because when you raise the percentage of fuel, everything else is going to go up. Domino effect. If fuel price increases that means transport. That means now the food that we are going to get from the farmer to come to use it to double. So I don't know now what the price of sugar is going to be. Because right now, the KED of sugar is going for around 220 shillings. Now, if you will even give me a panda in the end of Cope Sangapi. We should be asking ourselves such questions. Alright, I think we have to wrap this up. Wow, time flies when you're having wonderful conversations. So many things I wanted to say. So many things we should have had conversations on. But we have touched on the finance bill. Very important because today is the day the verdict is coming out. We have talked about the splashing headline which is tribalism. Which I do not understand why it still has such a thing. We even have a new social media platform called Threads. But it's called tribalism. Anyway. And by the way, because we are on Threads, you can also follow me on Threads. Opersionist. Because now we are talking about Threads. Thank you so very much for coming. Maybe if you'd like to fit in on last word before we wrap this up. Yeah, sure. I want to thank you for giving me this platform to go live on air. I want to talk on behalf of the youth of Kenya. Let's embrace togetherness. Let's embrace peace. We don't want to hear cases of people dying because of picketing. Because of mandamanos. We don't want to hear people losing. Maybe people going to hospitals because they have been injured. We want a government. We want a youth where we build each other. We are there for each other. Let's be brilliant enough to see what's happening. Let's not go support political movements. Which are going in benefit of some other people. I wish all the youth of Kenya, all the best in whatever they do. And all the comrades in various universities. Before we finish, I come from Kericho County. Recently there was a tragic road accident in London. I want to pass my condolences to the families of the deceased. There are some comrades who have lost their parents. And right now Kericho is sad. Kericho has been having issues concerning tea farms. Now deaths. So this will speak to the ministries of this government. Let something be done concerning this. I don't have much. Thank you. Okay, what I want to say. I also want to passionate about youth leadership. And what I want to confirm to the all youth in Kenya. That let us stand up. Okay, let us raise our voices. And let us reject to be used by maybe opposition or political leaders. Who want self-interest for themselves. And as we have talked, young leaders in the nation are so innovative. They are so creative. And when they are given that opportunity or that chance, we can do wonders. And we can make policies. Strong policies that will propel this country to another level. Yeah, what now I want, I just want the government to also consider young people. We are so competent. And given the opportunity, we can perform better. And to all comrades, please don't be used. We will start now a conversation of now peace and whatever. So that we avoid the early days for our young leaders. We have lost so many souls and the souls we lost, they are young leaders. And it's so worrying and it's so disheartening. And it's so unfortunate that in Kenya we are not only losing lives. We are also barring dreams. Yeah, we are barring dreams. Brilliant minds. Brilliant minds. Yes. So what I want, I want to urge young leaders and comrades who are out there. We are coming for you. I personally, we have started a movement, a movement called Youth in Governance. So we want to educate our fellow youth on their rights. And also we want to create that platform that we can also be seen by government. So that even the competency we have talked about lies in young people. We are so competent and I know if given that chance, we can perform better. Thank you so very much both of you. It's been an honor to host you. All social media handles. People are excited to be on threads. Tell us. So you can find me on Instagram at Meshak Kiprotich. Twitter at Engineer Meshak Kiprotich. TikTok at Meshak Kiprotich. Facebook at Meshak Kiprotich. And the threads at Meshak Kiprotich. Sorry, Jeff. Okay, me on Twitter at Sundwa Chief. Instagram Sundwa Chief. Facebook at Sundwa Chief. And also TikTok at Sundwa Chief. Even threads at Sundwa Chief. Also you on the threads but who are going? Alright, I'd like that you stay. We are buried Twitter. No, no, no. It's more than alive. We are buried Twitter. Makosa, Makosa anyway. These apps keep coming and going, coming and going. One day is this one, next day is that one. But anyway, I want to encourage you to never disregard your youth because this is exactly what this is meant for. It's a youth platform. Yeah, we want to talk to you and think. Don't fight. Don't allow anyone to influence you to do something you don't want to do. Miss Sawa. It's okay. That's right. From Facebook. Go to my channel on Twitter. Why 254 underscore channel on the ground. Hashtag of a day is why in the morning. My name is Valentine. It has been my complete honor to be with you next. We'll be talking about some other serious things, but I think I'm done for now. See you later.