Ndii defends crackdown on protests, calls youth 'stupid', triggering backlash

Protestors engage police in a running battle over the killing of blogger Albert Ojwang' on June 12, 2025 [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

President William Ruto’s chief economic advisor, David Ndii, triggered uproar on Sunday, June 23, after branding protesting youth as “stupid” and warning them of potential casualties in future demonstrations.

In a post shared on X, Ndii responded to growing youth-led dissent against the government with a defiant message.

“Let me tell you some home truths, you stupid young people. There will be no unconstitutional change of Govt in Kenya,” he wrote.

“You allow yourself to be weaponized by self-seekers, there’ll be casualties. My generation also had its heroic stupid young men. They were hanged. We learnt.”

The remarks sparked backlash online, particularly from young professionals, activists and lawyers, who accused the government of using excessive force against protestors while ignoring public frustration over corruption and economic hardship.

Erick Muriuki, an advocate of the High Court, dismissed Ndii’s comments as out of touch with ground realities and disrespectful to the lives lost in previous demonstrations.

“So is Albert Ojwang’ part of the status quo? Is Rex Maasai? Is Boniface Kariuki that masks vendors part of the status quo?” Muriuki asked. “Must rattling status quo include murder of young and often defenceless people using police force? All while shielding the corrupt and thieves?”

Muriuki added, “The very people they voted for your boss have suffered the most in his regime. Tell NIS to give you a clear picture of things on the ground. He may come third in the election but your delusion will not let you see this until it's too late.”

The deaths Muriuki referenced occurred during the 2023 protests against the Finance Bill, which saw widespread police confrontations with demonstrators across the country.

Ndii remained firm in his stance, dismissing the protests as denial of a legitimate election result.

“Who is ‘we’? WSR won election with a razor thin margin of 200k votes,” he said. “He was voted in by the bottom half of the society on a platform of upsetting the status quo. The status quo is upset and fighting back. It could not be otherwise.”

Former editor Wayua Muli observed that voters were now experiencing the cost of electing personality over substance.

“In ‘22, we voted for a man with political charisma, and a glowing (even if unattainable) manifesto; a man who had political experience spanning 20+ years,” Muli posted.

 “Yet we’re here now, organising daily maandamano against him. How about trying someone different?”