Nairobi — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has admitted that some government officials have given the youth ample reasons to protest across the country.
Speaking at a meeting held at the Kenya School of Government, Mudavadi said that young people have rightfully called out the government for its excesses, highlighting the need to streamline governance moving forward.
"They have called us out with a particularly strong message to the government that they are not feeling us. In some instances, we gave them the ammunition to fight us by showing them our opulence, corruption, and wrongful use of public resources," Mudavadi said.
He noted that the youth-led revolt has exposed the insensitive nature of government officials to the prevailing challenging economic times.
"They want to see a more inclusive government that is sensitive to the emerging issues affecting them and the majority of Kenyans," he added.
Mudavadi's remarks come amidst a youth-led clamour for change under the banner of Gen Z, who have vowed to continue holding the government accountable. Some groups have even called for the resignation of President William Ruto.
The youth have sustained their demand for better management of the country's affairs, which began as a rejection of the contentious Finance Bill 2024. The protests eventually led President Ruto to decline to sign the bill into law. The demonstrations, which saw tens of thousands of youths take to the streets, resulted in clashes with police forces, leading to tragic outcomes.
More than 40 protesters were killed and over 300 others were injured in the worst police brutality seen in the country, sparking widespread condemnation both locally and internationally.
In response to the unrest, President Ruto announced a six-day multi-sectoral convention set to kick off on Monday. The forum aims to bring together religious institutions, civil society, professional organizations, political parties, and other stakeholders.
The initiative however, faces a significant challenge as the youth have rejected the proposed dialogue, demanding more immediate and tangible actions from the government.
The Gen Z activists argue that previous dialogues have not yielded concrete results and insist on a more direct approach to address their grievances and implement necessary reforms.
