President William Ruto hosted Security Chiefs and National Govt Administration officers at State House.

During the meeting President Ruto urged them to spearhead unity, safeguard national security.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, and his deputies as well as Director of Criminal Investigations were present at the meetings.

The meeting comes after the June 25 demonstrations which the government insists was a well-planned and unconstitutional attempt at regime change, adding that it has gathered clear evidence pointing to the organisers and financiers.

President William Ruto yesterday described the protests that resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people as ‘calculated chaos’ and ‘economic sabotage.’

The protests erupted across Nairobi, Kisii, Mombasa, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Eldoret on Wednesday, as youth took to the streets demanding justice for victims of last year’s violence, accountability from police, and reforms in governance.

In response, police deployed heavily across major towns, with some protest hotspots witnessing live ammunition being used to disperse crowds.

Dozens of businesses were vandalised or looted, and several government installations were damaged. Kenya Power confirmed that a security guard was shot and killed outside its Stima Plaza headquarters, bringing further scrutiny to police conduct.

At least 16 people were killed during the protests, according to Amnesty International, while more than 400 were injured.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said over 300 police officers were among the injured, with some sustaining life-altering injuries.

Nine police stations were attacked—five of them torched—including Dagoretti, Molo and Ol Kalou. Eighty-eight police vehicles and over 90 government and private vehicles were destroyed. Five firearms were stolen from Dagoretti Police Post while four others were burned at Gachui Police Post. Capital News

KIGALI, Rwanda 

The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights declared itself competent Thursday to hear a case filed by the Democratic Republic of Congo against Rwanda, dismissing preliminary objections raised by Kigali.

The ruling by the continental Tanzania-based court paves the way for a full hearing into alleged human rights abuses linked to the conflict in eastern Congo.

Eleven judges of the court unanimously declared that the court has full jurisdiction to hear the case, rejecting a submission by Rwanda which had said it lacked the competence.

Citing provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the court declared the case Democratic Republic of Congo vs Republic of Rwanda admissible and required Rwanda to submit its responses on the merits within 90 days.

Rwanda during the initial hearing also argued that the Congo’s request is largely based on information relayed by the press, hence weakening its credibility.

The case came amid a raging conflict sparked by the M23 rebel group’s offensive in eastern Congo.

Congo filed the case in 2023, alleging serious human rights violations and aggression by Rwanda in eastern Congo since 2022.

Congo has asked the court to mandate Rwanda to remove its forces, stop supporting the M23 as well as violating human rights, provide reparations, and let the court decide on compensation and cover all costs.

The violence in eastern Congo has left more than 7,000 people dead so far this year, according to Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, while the number of displaced people has climbed to over 7.8 million according to UN figures. By  James Tasamba Anadolu Agency

By Charles Kyalo

Kenya continues to face significant unemployment challenges, with the unemployment rate estimated at 12.7 percent in 2024. Kenyan youth feel the greatest impact of this unemployment, with youth unemployment soaring to 67 percent. The unemployment crisis in Kenya calls for urgent action, particularly for youth between 15 and 24, whose unemployment rate is 13.4 percent. 

In 2025, projections show a modest rise in general unemployment to 7.23 percent, translating to nearly 1.95 million unemployed people. The social and economic impacts of unemployment in Kenya include poverty, crime, and religious extremism, such as the Shakahola tragedy. To address unemployment, the government should redefine and fully implement the competency-based curriculum (CBC), aligning the CBC with industry needs, fostering entrepreneurship through tax incentives and deregulation, and encouraging public-private partnerships in the manufacturing industry.     

Initiatives that address skills development, job creation, and economic diversification are critical. Unemployment in Kenya and across Africa remains an economic burden on young people and families facing high costs of living. Systemic hurdles, rapid population increases, and inadequate job generation mechanisms are contributing to youth unemployment.

The CBC focuses on developing learners' skills, knowledge, and attitude rather than just academic performance. The CBC emphasizes practical learning, creativity, and problem-solving to prepare students for real-world applications. The government should equip schools with adequate modern infrastructure, and recruit teachers to cover the existing student-to-teacher gap. 

At the tertiary level, the Ministry of Education should work on creating sustainable industry linkages for internships and mentorship programs. These programs offer hands-on experience and contribute to developing curricula aligned with both employers' needs and practical skills for successful self-employment.

Additionally, the government can foster entrepreneurship through tax incentives and deregulation by simplifying business registration, lowering taxes, and establishing accessible funding schemes for young entrepreneurs and startups. Jua Kali, for example, can be boosted by simplifying licensing processes and access to affordable microfinance. 

Financial institutions need to develop startup-specific lending products. Young graduates from vocational centres and tertiary institutions can achieve self-employment by leveraging entrepreneurship incubator programs. Programs targeting university and technical institution students offer business development training and provide minimal viable tools to set up shop. 

Furthermore, regulatory bodies like the Central Bank of Kenya, Business Registration Service of Kenya, and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) should remove bureaucratic processes and actions limiting small business. As of 2024, KRA has accrued up to 16 billion Kenyan Shillings in unpaid tax refunds. This action undermines Kenya's business-friendly environment, turning away potential investors and costing the country jobs.

The government can apply public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the manufacturing industry. PPPs have great potential to create jobs, support vocational training, and boost local production through export processing zones and industrial parks. The Kenyan government can accelerate growth in infrastructure, industrial development, energy, and healthcare. Leveraging the private sector's expertise, efficiency, and financial resources is key to achieving this growth.

To maximize PPPs, the Kenyan government should ensure transparency, clear accountability frameworks, and promote public involvement in decision-making. Strengthening governance around PPPs can restore public trust and make them a key driver of job creation and economic growth. 

By fully adopting a tailored CBC, Kenya can equip youth for opportunities in manufacturing, production, and self-employment. Policy reviews and investing in people through PPPs will create jobs and promote inclusive economic growth. Charles Kyalo is a writing fellow at African Liberty.