Deadly protests forces cancellation, postponement of key conferences as Ruto withdraws attendance

The Global Peace Leadership Conference 2024, currently ongoing in Nairobi, has cancelled its opening ceremony due to the situation in Kenya which has been rocked by deadly violence over the controversial Finance Bill, 2024.

The organisers of the event on Wednesday morning confirmed President William Ruto would not be in attendance.

The fifth Global Peace Leadership Conference (GPLC) in Africa was set to be graced by notable figures, including Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde.

The Global Peace Foundation Kenya (GPF) and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) are the lead organisers, aiming to unite leaders, visionaries, and change-makers from 25 countries to discuss critical issues around freedom, peace, and sustainable development in Africa.

Kenya's opposition leader, Raila Odinga, is also scheduled to speak during an afternoon session that will still take place after the morning ceremony was cancelled.

The conference's key objectives include promoting an African renaissance by recognising the continent's unique heritage and traditional values.

It also aims to strengthen ties among African states by cultivating positive and ethical global citizenship.

Various plenary sessions will focus on sustainable peace-building and development efforts.

Organisers say participants will evaluate and advance peace and development frameworks while encapsulating community-oriented actions and programs.

The event will be held under the theme: "One Family Under God: Empowering African Renaissance As A Global Catalyst For Freedom, Peace, And Sustainable Development."

Nyanza Investment Conference postponed

At the same time, the Nyanza Investment Conference, originally set to take place on June 28-29 at Ciala Resort in Kisumu, has been indefinitely postponed.

In an official memo, the event organisers cited the ongoing anti-finance bill protests as the primary reason for the postponement.

“Given the current situation in the country, we, the Organising Committee of the Nyanza International Investment Conference, have decided to delay the event to a later date,” read the memo.

President William Ruto was slated to be the Chief Guest at the conference. The organisers assured that new dates would be announced after a thorough evaluation of the circumstances necessary for a successful event.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and promise to provide updates once new dates are confirmed. Thank you for your understanding,” read the memo.

The conference aims to unlock the region’s potential through strategic investments in key sectors.

It envisions a collaborative platform bringing together government and development partners, sharing strategies and aligning resources, business leaders and scholars who identify and drive investment opportunities.

Local communities and diaspora will also be involved to contribute expertise and foster development.

The professionals will unpack existing and potential development challenges with a view of turning them into investable opportunities for private-sector investors, who are the biggest drivers of sustainability.

This will in turn culminate in the region’s economic empowerment, which will lead to the eradication of poverty, and the creation of employment opportunities, for residents of these counties.

The forum will also leverage technologies and innovation for the blue economy and research, and development together with diaspora engagement to empower the region.

Also postponed is the annual contractors' conference which was scheduled to take place between June 27-28, 2024 at the Bomas of Kenya.

The event organisers did not indicate a new date for the same.