Are The Young People Justified to Protest?

Image Credit: Yasser Aremon

Introduction

Using false promises to seek votes is a strategy that has been used by politicians for a long time. Because political rallies are usually charged and emotions override logic, the political class use such platforms to put forth their "plans" written in very colorful manifestos. It all starts as a slogan to woo votes from the under-35s, a catchment that is marred with many challenges, from unemployment to inability to meet the cost of living due to the rising cost of commodities and critical services. 

Media and Information Control

In the past, it was easy for politicians to get away with political statements after assuming office because social media was still in its infancy. Information could not be easily accessed and stored, except by the mainstream media stations. Politicians would commit all the atrocities and get away with them because they dictated what should appear in the mainstream media. In fact, at some point, only KBC had the outright privilege of reporting in Kenya, and everyone depended on this government media house and its affiliated vernacular stations for news. Our parents worshipped the state and feared criticizing it for any wrongdoing. The few who raised their voices risked their lives, and most of them ended up in torture chambers.  The likes of Raila Amollo Odinga, Achieng Oneko, Charles Rubia, and Paul Muite, among others, were young when they fought for the second liberation.

Broken Promises and Youth Frustration

Looking at the last general elections, President Ruto appeared to have an appeal to young people, mama mboga, and the bodaboda people. He created a classist narrative that pitted the rich against the poor. A narrative that was bought by many because Ruto appeared to be a saviour. Three years down the line, all hell has broken loose, and the people who stood by President Ruto are now on the streets. There have been cases of extrajudicial killings and abductions, and recently, the CS for interior gave a shoot-to-kill order, which contravenes the country's supreme law. Now, the big question is, why are the youth so bitter about this regime?

Is it only the Gen Z and Millennial youths? The answer is simple. The lies! These lies have not started with President Ruto, but it has always been used by past leaders as they sought leadership positions. Let us dissect these lies:

Unemployment

During their campaign en route to the 2013 elections, Uhuruto promised the youth that they would create 1 million jobs every year. The Jubilee government, in its entirety, only managed to create 2.5 million jobs in the two terms it was in office. That is about 250,000 jobs per year. So the young millennials and Gen Zs who graduated from 2010 to date would hardly secure jobs.

Sources claim that annually, the country produces about 400,000 graduates from universities and TVET institutions. Now, if it is true that the Jubilee government created about 250,000 jobs annually, then we would not have this huge number of frustrated Kenyans whose parents invested in their education, yet they are jobless. Their rallying call for good governance is a noble one. It is not about job creation but corruption in the public service. 

Secondly, the Jubilee administration promised digital learning and laptops for pupils.  They pledged to distribute laptops to Standard One pupils, but this was never fulfilled; instead, years later, tablets were issued. Remember, the promise was laptops, but it morphed into tablets. The programme was marred with corruption, with HP claiming that the cost was inflated by 1.4 billion Kenyan shillings.

Unaccounted for Resources

The Auditor General’s report flagged KSh 16 billion unaccounted for, including KSh 15.2 billion without payment vouchers and KSh 603 million spent on defective proof-of-concept laptops. Nation Africa reports that billions more disappeared through fake imprest (advance funds) for nonexistent training workshops, like KSh 103 million for fake ICT workshops. When they realized that they could not deliver what they promised Kenyans, the government quietly shelved the one‑laptop‑per‑child model in favor of investing in computer labs for access and sustainability reasons. One wonders whether they did not consider sustainability issues when they first promised it. 

Thirdly, the Jubilee regime promised that they would construct modern youth centers with ICT labs and sports facilities, but by the time they left office in 2022, the project had largely failed to materialize. 

It is important to note that the Jubilee administration made meaningful strides in youth funding programs, NYS expansion, and digital services. The successful roll-out of Huduma centers, youth enterprises, and AGPO is something that the administration can be lauded for. However, several key commitments around the creation of 1 million jobs annually for the youth, educational tech access, innovation hubs, and education reforms either fell short or stalled. Ultimately, the performance is not new to Kenyans. It echoes a familiar narrative of partial fulfilment, with some notable wins but many youth-centric pledges left unfulfilled. The youth have always lost since time immemorial. It is time to fight for our rights and demand accountability. 

The Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda

William Ruto wooed voters with an agenda dubbed the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. It painted a picture of a system that was for mwananchi by mwananchi. It was widely popularised by President William Ruto and raised the hope of the hopeless in society. In his manifesto, he promised to put 250 billion shillings over five years into the agricultural sector and food security. He also promised to put 50 billion shillings annually into MSMEs through the Hustler Fund. This amount was meant to support the youth and the "hustlers." He also promised to support the digital and creative economy by laying a 100,000 km fibre-optic network to villages, schools, businesses, and homes.

30% Appointive Positions

President Ruto also promised to reserve 30% of appointive government positions for youth, build innovation hubs at the sub-county level and digital labs in TVETs with free internet in remote areas, enact laws ensuring a 30-day payment timeline for youth-provided services, and aim to create 1 million jobs annually. From the many promises made, one thing stands out, just like during the past regime, which he was part of. The target of employment has not been met yet. In fact, youth unemployment, state capture, abductions, extrajudicial killings & high cost of living are what led to the protests that occurred in 2024. Whereas the government claims that the housing project has created close to 200,000 jobs, that number is still below their target of 1 million jobs annually. So it seems all these politicians know that a million jobs annually is a white lie, but they still promise us so that they can win our votes. 

Conclusion

Looking at the three presidents, Kibaki, Kenyatta, and Ruto, it is only Kibaki who did fairly well. He achieved almost all the promises he made to Kenyans and the youthful generation.  Millions of children were enrolled in school, and there was a major increase in school completion because of the free primary education programme by President Kibaki. Just like the other presidents, he fell short in employment. His target was 0.5 million jobs annually, which was partly achieved. His administration was also marred by mega-corruption scandals, but he did put in place measures and structures to deal with the vice. 

Are the Young People Justified to Protest? A Big Yes! They have been lying to the preceding generations, and so we shouldn't let them lie to us now! If we do not speak up, our future will be stamped upon.