Participants during the Shujaaz Memorial concert held on July 7, 2024 at Uhuru Park in Nairobi.
President William Ruto’s broad-based government project is set to face its first litmus test as the youth plot a fresh round of anti-government demonstrations on Thursday, August 8, in their continued push for sweeping reforms.
The Gen Zs have called for what they say will be the mother of all demonstrations, dubbed 'Nane Nane' march, on Thursday to continue their push to hold the government to account and force the exit of the current regime, setting the stage for a major showdown between the government and the protestors.
The demonstrations come at a time when the President has co-opted the opposition in his administration, a move aimed at quelling dissatisfaction with his nascent regime.
However, the youth have maintained they will be back on the streets to fight for their rights, accusing the Kenya Kwanza government of being tone-deaf to their grievances and the political class of hijacking their push for good governance.
The youth began the demonstrations in June calling on President Ruto to put an end to excesses by the government, end insensitive displays of opulence by public officers, and slay the dragon of corruption.
The Gen Zs’ also pushed for the President to overhaul his administration by firing his Cabinet as well as disbanding moribund offices to restore public confidence in the embattled Kenya Kwanza administration.
Speaking on Monday at Toi Market, Mr Odinga said the broad-based government will live up to the expectations of Kenyans as it now has experts from the opposition.
Claiming that President Ruto approached him for help to stem the Gen Z protests, the former premier said the President came to him seeking help after his cabinet failed to deliver on its mandate.
“We have given him experts, you will now see things changing,” said the ODM party leader.
Finance Bill, 2024
The protests which started on June 18, 2024, and have seen at least 60 people dead, were prompted by the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 before morphing into a rallying call for the resignation of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Since then, the Head of State has withdrawn the controversial bill, fired his Cabinet as well as the pledge to slay the corruption monster.
The latest round of protests, drawing its inspiration from the epic Saba Saba protests in the 1990s, is set to test the mettle of the new-look government comprising members from opposition leader Raila Odinga’s ODM party.
The Thursday event will also be used to fight for justice for those killed during last month's demonstrations.
The four senior ODM members include nominated MP John Mbadi, nominated to the National Treasury docket, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), and former ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and Blue Economy).
Nonetheless, the move by President Ruto to create a broad-based government by co-opting the opposition as well as retaining some of the fired ministers seems to have rubbed the youth the wrong way.
This is despite President Ruto saying the new-look Cabinet will assist him in driving the much-needed and irreversible transformation of the country.
“It (broad-based government) was necessary to have a fresh start. The Gen Z protests were an eye-opener that gave me an opportunity to reorganise my administration to ensure inclusivity for the sake of harmony and development in the country,” said the President recently.
“We are going to work on timelines that Kenyans have given us and some of these people have good track records,” he added.
Nevertheless, the youth have been making and circulating posters across different social media platforms with the schedule of activities to take place leading to the day of the march.
Sharing videos
The action plan includes mobilisation on social media platforms including TikTok, WhatsApp and Facebook through creating and sharing videos as well as updating WhatsApp statuses and sharing with their contacts ahead of Thursday.
On the other hand, on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), the youth have been posting and sharing messages concerning the planned demonstrations to raise awareness.
A song has also been composed ahead of the planned countrywide protests and is being circulated on various social media platforms urging the youth to turn out in their numbers.
“The day is coming when we will show them we have nothing to fear. We can see that they can’t hear..... so we say ah ah ah, tarehe nane tokea,” the song goes.
The youth seem to pay no attention to the President even after he talked tough last month over the earlier protests, saying “enough is enough”.
Speaking while attending a church service in Bomet on July 21, President Ruto vowed to ''protect the nation'' saying he had already given everybody a chance to air their views.
But the youth are soldering on with final preparations being made on how the march will happen, according to posters doing rounds on social media.
“This revolution belongs to all Kenyans because we are fighting for a better life and leadership for everyone,” the Gen Zs have insisted.
They also maintain that leaders unable to fulfil their mandate should step aside for the sake of a better future of the country.
“The big day is almost here. We will make history together. If the police or the military try to stop us, we will not be deterred. We have strength in our numbers and resolve, we will stay firm and peaceful. This is about sustained action,” adds one of the posters.
Collaboration
On Sunday, President Ruto continued drumming up support for his broad-based government, saying it has created a striking collaboration that will help unlock the country’s potential.
He argued that going forward, there are no longer two sides of the political divide in the country, ensuring that the government focuses on its development agenda.
“I formed a government that will bring all Kenyans together because I have decided that there is no need to be biased. Let us come together and build one government that will serve the people of Kenya and bring development to the country,” said President Ruto.
However, a majority of the youth are still not sold on the idea insisting on sweeping reforms involving a complete overhaul of the current administration to herald accountability and good governance.
They insist the country’s leadership has failed to listen to the voice of Kenyans and they will now be calling for the resignation of President Ruto to pave the way for formation of a better government.
Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Abraham Korir Sing’oei, on Tuesday, talked tough calling for strict regulation of what he describes as violent protests.
In a statement posted on X, the PS labelled the protests, which began in June, as a form of societal pollution.
He argued that the repercussions of such unrest are borne by the private sector, which has been struggling under the weight of continuous disruptions.
“Part of the reason to regulate and firmly deal with violent and chaotic protests is that protestors do not internalise the cost of their actions,” said Dr Sing’oei.
“This cost is transferred and borne by someone else—the private sector. Like pollution, violent protests must be regulated before they cause irremediable public cost.”
On Sunday, the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (Supkem) called on the youth to suspend the demonstrations, saying they should now give the broad-based government time to settle down and deliver on its promises.
Supkem chairperson Sheikh Hassan Ole Naado said the youth should call off the demonstrations and give the new Cabinet a chance to work and meet their demands.
“Let the youth end their calls for demonstrations and give the government time to work. There has not been any peaceful demonstration and destruction and deaths are likely to occur because the demonstrators will clash with security officers,” said Mr Naado.
