AT WHAT COST!!!

It all began as a way for the public to exercise their constitutional right, bowing to Article 1 Clause 1 of the Kenyan constitution that states that, ‘All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and SHALL  be exercised only in accordance to the constitution.’ Either directly (protesting and boycotts) through representatives( parliament). However, that is not what has been witnessed of late. The so-called protests have brought about a lot of pain, suffering, loss of property, and even lives. Yes, life goes on, but at what cost? 

On June 25th last year, the protest was mainly to boycott the estranged finance bill that year, which the youth, alias Gen Z, claimed was infringing their rights and taxing them unconstitutionally. 

The finance bill was declared null and void and was thrown out, but then again, earlier this year, a high-ranking government official came forward and said that the same finance bill was passed in December that year. Lucidly stating that the protests we thought had borne fruit were just that, protests. Another likely reform that the protests seemed to have borne is the reshuffles in government and the sacking of ‘incompetent’ ministers. ‘Incompetent’ because were they even qualified for the job, or did they secure the job for being allied to the president? Does that really work or does it only shift blame? 

A serving minister (Cabinet Secretary) has served in four different ministries in just one term. Are these jobs given out in terms of merit or just friendships?

Back to these protests, it seems like the Gen Z has lost sight of what exactly they were protesting for in the first place. At first, it seemed clear, but right now, I bet half of them can’t even tell you the reason they’re on the streets. They have turned a lawful act into a TikTok clout-chasing game.  For instance, the most recent protests were on the 7th of July, widely known as Sabasaba, which began in the 90s, where great multitudes took to the streets demanding free elections, and that day has been commemorated ever since. However, what was witnessed in the commemoration of the year 2025, has never transpired in the country.

Masked men in Subarus, feared to have been a certain unit of the police, terrorized the areas of Kiserian, Ngong, Kitengela, Kangemi, and Juja, shooting people in cold blood. Looking back, on 25th June, protests were also witnessed as a commemoration of the protest that happened in 2024. So one asks, why should protests have anniversaries if no positive impact has been seen as a result?

It is evident, too, that unknown people, alleged goons, have infiltrated the once peaceful protests for their own gain; looting and vandalizing assets. Property of great value has been destroyed, others have lost their lives, while others are in hospitals nursing injuries, leaving their loved ones with unexpected bills that could have been avoided. The shocking thing, the next day, the 8th, everything goes back to normal, like police weren’t dispensing bullets to citizens like they did the previous day. Life goes on as usual, children go back to school, people resume work, roadblocks are removed, but not for everyone. 

A family has to start burial arrangements for their kin, who probably wasn’t even a part of the protest but found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. Another has to source funds to clear a hospital bill, and a business owner has had to let go of his workers since his business was destroyed by the same people he serves. Till when? Is this protest the only way the citizens can check government accountability? It could be the most effective, but it’s evident it’s not working, and the impact is largely negative. I believe it’s high time we embraced other ways of checking the government's credibility without having to cost citizens’ lives.

We all hope that some day, all the people who went to the streets will all go back home safe, uninjured, no businesses and property damaged, and actual reforms done. However, that’s all we can have for now; hope. A hope that our children will not have to live in the same fear and paranoia we have had to endure in these times. A fear that ‘Subaru boys’ can pick you out any time and your remains are found in a certain river or in a forest a month later, or worse still, news reach your family that you collided with a wall and broke your skull. 

Growing up, we proudly sang the National Anthem, ‘najivunia kuwa Mkenya.’ Lately, it has started to feel like ‘navumilia kuwa Mkenya.’

A question everyone is asking, those in power will remain in power, Gen Z and other generations to come may continue going to the street, BUT AT WHAT COST? There has to be an end point, an optimum where all teams decide this is it, find a mid-ground, and put an end to all this destruction!