What Ruto must do to keep angry and hungry Gen Z out of the streets

Protesters climb a police water cannon truck while demonstrating against the Finance Bill 2024 in Nairobi on June 25, 2024. [AFP]

Although William Ruto has been president for only 20 months, he has been subjected to a test by young Kenyans and found wanting.

The result came out last Wednesday, following violent protests which culminated in over 20 deaths and the invasion of Parliament. 

A humbled Head of State admitted in a televised address that he had conceded and that he would not be signing the Finance Bill 2024/25, which had sent the protesters to the streets.

And now the hard part begins. On Saturday he started with initiating dialogue with Generation Z when he announced the formation of National Multi-Sectoral Forum. In the organisation, umbrella bodies representing youth, civil society groups, religious organisations, professional bodies, academia and student leadership will be involved in addressing the issues raised by the protesters.

This dialogue will also tackle other burning issues the youth have raised such as unemployment, national debt burden and corruption, the latter which has been described as the cancer eating into the soul of the nation. 

On Friday, Ruto announced budget cuts, earmarking Sh200 billion reduction in the development budget. He proposed austerity measures’ affecting the presidency and state departments including cuts on confidential expenditure, hospitality, vehicle purchases and renovations. He also said he would make fighting corruption his top priority.  

But the President still has a mountain to climb to win the support of the citizens. They expect him to institute more austerity measures which may include stopping planned renovations of State House, State lodges and the Deputy President’s residence and office, all of which are expected to cost billions of shillings. 

Kenyans have also questioned the rationale for the huge budgets given to the First Lady, the Deputy President’s spouse and the wife of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

They also expect an overhaul of the Cabinet, with non-performing Cabinet Secretaries, some of whom have mismanaged pubic resources kicked out.

Despite suppressed protests on Thursday, the now common “Ruto must go” chants are growing louder. Young Kenyans on social media are saying they must seize the moment and pressure Ruto to resign.

The resignation call is among a raft of demands the new movement has issued to the President.

Ruto’s delay in addressing their initial grievance -- the Finance Bill 2024 -- gave way to additional grievances.

Critics say that despite giving in on the Finance Bill, Ruto’s government has not shown any signs of goodwill.

The argument is that the Kenya Kwanza administration cannot be trusted to ensure justice for Kenyans killed during the two weeks of anti-tax protests, given that killings by the police have continued even after the President’s call for dialogue.

Many activists, some of whom were abducted during the protests, are also concerned that they may face reprisals.

“They will come for us one by one,” an activist said during a Friday evening Space meeting, referencing the President’s threat on Tuesday to crack down on protesters who he described as “organised criminals”. 

More abductions have been reported since Ruto promised to give dialogue a chance. Alvina Wangui, who was involved in the protests, was reportedly abducted on Friday. Her whereabouts, and those of Kevin Kori, were unknown by the time we went to press.

Ruto is also courting fury for his dalliance with the clergy, sections of which he has hosted since Wednesday evening. On Saturday, he met leaders of the African Independent Pentecostal Church (AIPCA) at State House.

The movement plans to escalate its protest this week as announced in a calendar of events dubbed “7 Days of Justice”.

Today, they plan to “de-platform politicians” from church pulpits.  The protesters have had a series of successes on this front this week by forcing the cancellation of church fundraising events featuring politicians.

They also plan to observe five minutes of silence in honour of their “murdered comrades”. Tomorrow, they plan to print posters of police officers suspected of killing protesters, “traitorous MPs” and government agents.

“Stick them everywhere, every single place!” the notice reads. 

Countrywide sitdowns are slated for Tuesday and Thursday, with Wednesday reserved for identifying “agents of the regime” within the movement.

“We shall not relent until William Ruto unconditionally resigns,” they declare.

The notice follows some 14 “non-negotiable” demands they made to the President, which include the scrapping of the positions of Chief Administrative Secretaries, Women Representatives and Prime Cabinet Secretary (PCS) and defunding the offices of the First Lady, Second Lady and the PCS’s spouse.

They also want the housing levy scrapped, a proper audit of the utilisation of the deductions and refunds to workers.

The youth demand the sacking of all government officials implicated in corruption, singling out Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi over the fake fertiliser scandal and the restoration of the Linda Mama programme.

They oppose the new health insurance scheme and the deployment of police officers to Haiti and want intern doctors and junior secondary school teachers hired, and the school-feeding programme restored.

“All government officials and public servants must travel around with government-owned vehicles, trains, aeroplanes and helicopters to curb corruption and conflict of interest,” they add.

Perhaps their most consequential demand is the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission “within 30 days to facilitate our move to recall all rogue MPs and hold fresh elections”.

Aware that ousting a president is not a walk in the park, the Gen Z movement is open to pursuing more realistic strategies, including preparing for the 2027 General Election.

While a section opposes picking leaders for the movement, others believe they need to identify those who have stood with the struggle to carry the movement forward. 

“I would advise the Gen Zs to find a way and get people they trust to lead the conversation,” activist Boniface Mwangi, one of the mobilisers of the protests, said during an interview on Spice FM.

He said Ruto should become a one-term president.

“They have the moment and if they do not seize it will fizzle out,” he added, urging them to set up a committee to advance their interests. 

Among the proposed challengers to Ruto in 2027 include Senators Okiya Omtatah (Busia) and Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo, businessman Jimi Wanjigi and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

Some people purporting to lead the youth movement have angered Kenyans on social media, who see them as impostors.

The plan is to do away with the current crop of leadership, which they blame for failing the country. And they believe success is within reach, given their significant numbers.

“We must register as voters and make Ruto a one-term president, if at all he finishes this term,” a protester who attended Friday’s Space meeting said.

But political analyst Herman Manyora believes not having formal leadership works better for the movement.

“It is because of leaders that struggles, even those in the 1980s, fail. Leaders can be bought,” said the university lecturer. “It is difficult to defeat a movement that lacks a structure.”

With their tribeless creed comes a challenge to Ruto, whose popularity in Mt Kenya, a critical bloc that propelled him to the presidency, is dwindling.

“If this thing goes on until 2027, Gen Z will influence who becomes president,” said Manyora.

But even before 2027, young Kenyans could have a significant say in how the government runs. During his Wednesday address, Ruto said he would involve the youth in developing his government’s policies.

“The status quo has often been maintained because the youth have mostly been unbothered about their country’s affairs. When they decide to take charge, the ruler is in trouble,” added Manyora.