Protests: It is time to calm things down
Anti-riot police officers keep off protestors on Kimathi Street on July 2, 2024 during the anti-government protests.
What you need to know:
- We have had street demonstrations almost every other week led by the Gen Z and millennials.
- So far, more than 50 young Kenyans have lost their lives in the protests, which is very unfortunate.
For the last two months, Kenyans have been on tenterhooks. What we saw in Sudan during the rule of Omar Bashir — because of high prices of bread, the Sudanese protested in the streets, resulting in the removal of Bashir — seems to be replaying in Kenya.
We have had street demonstrations almost every other week led by the Gen Z and millennials, demanding that the President address a number of critical issues. So far, more than 50 young men and women have lost their lives in the protests, which is very unfortunate.
If we are not careful, Kenyans are heading to the precipice and the stories we always hear from South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo will seem like child’s play.
We have been through such turmoil before, especially after every election cycle, but the occurrences of the last two months are weird and shocking. It is time wisdom and reason were given a chance. Communication is lacking.
Dropping the Finance Bill
President William Ruto has given in by dropping the Finance Bill 2024, which initially was the reason why Kenyans went to the streets. He has also dissolved his Cabinet and assured Kenyans that changes for the better will be made.
This should have thawed the ice to allow the country to go back to normal and the citizens continue with their activities. But this does not seem to be the case.
President Ruto was democratically elected in 2022 and given the instruments of power. Though he is also a human being who can make mistakes, he needs room to deal with the shortcomings that Kenyans have pointed out. Piling pressure on him each and every other day is not right.
Though sovereign power rests with the people as the 2010 constitution clearly states, we should also accept the fact that Kenyans entrusted this power to the President for five years until the next elections.
We have seen anarchy in other countries and the result has always been pain to the citizenry. Some are already banana republics, a good example being Haiti where Kenyan police are trying to restore order.
Cohesiveness and integrity
It is true Kenyans have seen corruption go to heights that are shocking, and there is ethnicity in employment, with certain communities said to be gaining at the expense of others. These are issues the President can address. He has shown through his recent actions that he is listening.
Leaders should always remember that they were elected or appointed to serve the citizens. Cohesiveness and integrity have been lacking in Kenya since independence and this is what the leaders and the people should work on daily basis.
We need Kenya because it is the only country we have. It is upon the leaders and the people to make this country great by doing what is right all the time.
Our founding fathers said the cardinal aim of independence was to address ignorance, poverty and diseases. This will only happen in a peaceful environment where every Kenyan will feel secure. It is time to calm the country.
Mr Kigo is an environmentalist. [email protected]
