Kenya has since June, 18, 2024 witnessed anti-government protests, which initially the Kenya Kwanza government ignored.
However, after two consecutive days of protests which started by pushing Members of Parliament to reject the Finance Bill, 2024, President William Ruto, realised that the youthful generation now famously referred to as the Gen-Z were extremely serious with their objective of enacting governance transformative change.
Though scores died, others were injured and some young people still missing, the level the youth have taken the country to, is evident that there is no turning back.
Though the government through the Interior Ministry under the stewardship of the Cabinet Secretary Professor Kithure Kindiki reiterates that only 25 people died during the ‘Occupy Parliament’ on June 25, 2024 which was also the day MP’s were voting for the Finance Bill, 24, the same government through the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) insists that it has recorded over 41 deaths as a result of the protests.
“We documented a total of 41 deaths, mostly through gunshot, over 361 people we serious injured some are still in hospital as we speak,” said KNCHR Chairperson, Rosyline Odede.
Human rights defenders both local and international condemned security agencies for using excessive force against unarmed protesters, murdering them in cold blood.
“Who was the enemy here that triggered the government to deploy military? What was the work of the military in dispersing unarmed protesters? These we youth with a very noble course of transforming the governance systems in the country. They were not enemies that prompted the government to battle them like Al-Shabab,” noted Vocal Africa Executive Director, Hussein Khalid.
Mr Hussein assured the government and specifically President William Ruto that only a listening ear will calm the state of the nation as Kenyans and mostly the youth were hopeless, a situation that triggered the recent witnessed protests in the country.
“The demands are now open and the President should act on them. Giving the youth a blind eye can be dangerous for the country’s peaceful coexistence,” said the veteran rights defender.
But the Generation Zero (Gen-Zs) have vowed to relentlessly change the Governance direction of the country.
After a three week protests, tears, sweat, pain and deaths, Kenyan youth have come out strong, forcing the President to act on their series of demands.
President Ruto in his recent address to the nation swallowed his humble pie, assuring the youth and the entire nation that he will deliver an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in 10 days.
President Ruto also admitted that the country faces a bloated Public service that should be trimmed to save the government huge expenditure burden.
The move may affect his Cabinet that the youth want it to be slashed to 14 Cabinet Secretaries instead of the 22 Cabinet Secretaries.
But the youth are not giving in to such abrupt promises they want actions and are actually demanding more.
“Why do we have 47 Women representatives? Why do we have Nominated MCAs, MPs and even Senators, what’s exactly their work apart from overburdening us with huge taxes?” The questions were posed by many youth in a lengthy Friday Twitter Space heated dialogue the was hosted by President William Ruto.
The Gen-Zs are now calling for the resignation of President Ruto for failing Kenyans in his almost two year leadership.
Thanks to Gen-Z that the country has now changed focus and Kenyans are actively deliberating on good governance in the country.
Thanks to Gen-Z, they have tamed the ‘Air host’ behaviours planted in the Head of State who could not stay in the country for at least one full week without flying abroad.
Thanks to Gen-Z that there are no more every time traffic jam and sirens in major cities like Nairobi and Mombasa triggered by MPs, Cabinet Secretaries and other government officials living lavishly, spending taxpayers’ money recklessly.
The most sirens witnessed are those of ambulances trying to save lives.
Thanks to the Gen-Z that most MPs have camped in Nairobi even during the times that Parliament is in recess after ignoring Kenyans call for them to reject the Finance Bill 24 in the first place. Am told they fear being greeted by the youth in their constituency.
The country is now heading to the right direction and there is no turning back. Thank you Gen-Z!
