ODM Cautions Ruto Over Fresh Round of Gen Z Protests

ODM acting party leader Anyang' Nyong'o has cautioned President William Ruto to be cautious about the state of the country.

He said the country's mood is currently telling and indicates a possible spark of another youth-led revolt.

Speaking during the send-off of renowned scholar Professor Bethwell Allan Ogot in Kisumu, the governor stated that the ODM party would not come in again to salvage Ruto's regime from a precipice to a political crisis.

"The government must listen to Kenyans and be keen on what is happening. We know where Kenya was headed before Raila Odinga came and saved this country. We don't want to be always putting out the fire. We want those in government to know that a fire can break out at any time if the country is not taken care of. We will only put out the fire if we know who we are talking to and will implement what the country wants," said Nyong'o.

There seems to be a division in the party, with two factions pulling away from each other.

One is pro-government and has pledged massive support for Ruto's re-election in 2027, while the other one has vowed to challenge the president out of office.

The faction led by secretary general Edwin Sifuna is on record restating that he will see to it that the president is not re-elected, much to the annoyance of the side that wants the president back in office.

The back and forth has seen the pro-Ruto faction threatening to oust the antagonists, led by Sifuna, out of the party.

Meanwhile, the party leader, Raila Odinga, has yet to issue his voice on the infighting.

In other news, former president Uhuru Kenyatta recently counselled the Kenyan youth to focus on their fight against bad governance.

He asked the younger generation to never allow anyone to take away what they have worked for.

"The GenZs are the story of the future; fight for your rights, don't just stay there while people are taking away what's yours. Don't allow anyone to take away what's yours, you have worked for it, so make sure you keep what's yours.

"Everything is worth a fight for, if it's taken away let no one complain. Stand for what's yours. We are behind you," he said.

Notably, Kenya has witnessed a surge in youth activism, prominently led by Generation Z as they demand government accountability and social justice.

This movement gained significant momentum in 2024 catalyzed by the government's Finance Bill 2024 which introduced new taxes on essential goods.

In June 2024, a series of youth-led protests dubbed Occupy Parliament took place in Nairobi, marking a pivotal moment in the country's political landscape.

Unlike previous demonstrations, this protest was organized without political party affiliations, primarily through social media platforms like TikTok and X.

The government's response to these protests was marked by repression with security forces using excessive force, resulting in casualties.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, accused the authorities of orchestrating a cover-up, citing instances of enforced disappearances and illegal detentions.

This shift signified a new era of activism, where the younger generation leveraged digital tools and platforms to challenge the status quo and advocate for meaningful change.