Former Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management Moses Kuria is urging Kenyan youths to shift their focus away from demanding a regime change.
In a statement, Kuria emphasized that Gen Z should now work to ensure that the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives in the pursuit of a better country were not in vain.
Kuria acknowledged the validity and significance of the issues raised by young Kenyans, noting that the national discourse will be altered moving forward. However, he criticized the energy of Tuesday’s protests, suggesting they fell short of expectations.
Kuria urged Gen Z to abandon street demonstrations and instead engage in dialogue to address their grievances.
“Dear Gen Z, the issues you’ve raised are real and enduring. The national conversation will never be the same again. But let’s face it—today was underwhelming,” Kuria said. “Focus should now shift from regime change to ensuring that those we lost did not die in vain. It’s time to discuss our surrender.”
Kuria’s comments followed Tuesday’s protests, during which Gen Z had planned to occupy Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). However, increased security around the airport’s main entrances prevented this, leading the protests to mainly occur in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
There were only a few instances of police confrontation with the protesters.
Nairobi Regional Commander Adamson Bungei and other security officers attempted to engage in dialogue with the youthful demonstrators. Some protesters tried to march towards Mombasa Road and JKIA but were stopped by police at Uhuru Highway. Most businesses in the city remained closed throughout the day due to fears of looting.
