Mercy Tarus and her mother Prisca Tarus in Nakuru.
Prisca Tarus sits anxiously by her phone, her heart racing with every passing minute. Her only daughter, Mercy Tarus an outspoken activist is out on the streets once again leading protests against injustice.
The thought of Mercy choking on tear gas, facing riot police, or worse, sent worse sends fear through Prisca.
As a mother of three, she says she is proud of her daughter's courage but the constant worry gnaws at her.
"For me, it’s not about disrupting peace during demonstrations but about the safety of my only daughter,” she says.
Mercy rose to fame after she was confronted by Uasin Gishu governor Jonathan Bii, his deputy John Barorot and Senator Jackson Mandago over the botched Finland education initiative despite parents paying millions of shillings.
Then came the Gen Z protest in June, in which Mercy participated. But 56-year-old Laikipia University lecturer, Mrs Tarus explains how the thought of her daughter out on the streets fills her with dread.
"I can’t eat, I don’t call, I don’t even watch the news. I’m too scared of hearing bad news. It feels like coldness grips my heart, and I have no words to express my fear," she admits.
Despite her mother’s fears, 25-year-old Mercy refuses to back down from her activism.
Mercy was set to go to Canada to pursue a master’s degree in Social Service but when those plans fell through, she decided to channel her energy into improving her own country.
"I didn’t make it to Canada, but I’ll bring ‘Canada’ here. If you can’t go abroad, then make Kenya work, because Kenya is home. This is our country and we must make it better for us and the generations to come. If you can’t go, then make Kenya work because Kenya is home," she told Nation.
She is steadfast in her fight for a better Kenya even as her family tries to dissuade her. When she decided to join the protests against the Finance Bill in Nairobi, her uncles were called in to intervene.
They tried to convince her not to go but she stood firm.
"I told them someone has to do this and that someone is me," she recalls. Though her family wasn’t pleased, Mercy joined her colleagues in marching for change.
A similar situation unfolded during the Saba Saba protest.
On the eve of the demonstration, Mrs Tarus begged Mercy to stay home.
But that morning Mercy sent her mother a text message: “I know you are afraid for my safety, but someone has to do what someone has to do. I listened to what you feel about it, so now allow me to express my feelings too. All you can do is pray for me and wish me well.”
Mercy Tarus and her mother Prisca Tarus in Nakuru.
That day, Mrs Tarus didn’t call her daughter allowing Mercy to participate in the protest undisturbed.
Although her fear for Mercy’s safety is overwhelming the mother admires her daughter’s courage and conviction.
"Mercy has always been brave. She’s incredibly bright which is why she pursued a career in education. But her love for peace and fairness has taken her down a different path,” she says proudly.
According to the mother, Mercy’s bravery and sense of justice were evident even as a child.
"It started when she was just three years old. No one could push her around. Mercy’s desire for peace and fairness extended to her childhood playmates, and she often gave away her toys to resolve conflicts and maintain harmony," Mrs Tarus recalled in an interview with Nation.Africa in Nakuru County.
She says as Mercy grew older, that same sense of justice became more prominent.
During family meetings meant to discipline errant children Mercy would always defend herself and her brothers, using her voice to stand up for what she believed was right.
"She’s always been brave but now she’s taking it to another level, a level of fighting for the hopeless and holding leaders accountable," her mother adds.
Although Mercy is the second-born in the family, her activism has set her apart.
Her mother acknowledges that while her brothers are also brave, Mercy’s fight for social justice has made her stand out.
Mercy Tarus at the Nakuru Law Court on September 27, 2024.
"If her destiny takes her in a different direction from teaching, all we can do is pray for God’s guidance," Mrs Tarus says, affirming that Mercy has her full support in all her endeavours.
The parent pleads for Kenya’s leaders to embrace dialogue to prevent more protests.
"No parent wants their child involved in demonstrations that have proven deadly. Innocent young lives have been lost. Why not try dialogue instead?" she asks.
Mercy told Nation.Africa that she remains focused on her mission and that beyond her activism, she is working on launching her own organisation aimed at promoting education, agriculture, and entertainment.
Through her initiative, Kenya Ni Home, she plans to help educate needy children, particularly those in secondary school.
