In 2024, protests by young Kenyans sent shock waves through the country’s political scene, forcing the government to drop proposed taxes and fire several ministers. The youth movement highlighted the challenges Kenya faces as the government tries to increase revenues from citizens who are grappling with the high cost of living and are angry about corruption and what they see as attempts to stifle dissent.
As the year comes to an end, President William Ruto’s government and a large section of Kenyan youth are still at odds over the direction the country is taking.
The discontent erupted in June as parliament considered a bill that would increase taxes on certain food items and other sectors in the economy to help repay foreign loans and fund development programs.
Lawmakers passed the bill, leading protesters storming the parliament buildings and burning a section of it. Ruto, seeing the public anger, declined to sign the bill into law.
Nairobi has also witnessed protests against alleged police brutality. Rights groups say Kenyan security forces killed at least 65 people during protests or while in detention during 2024.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Nairobi to demand the release of Kenyans allegedly abducted from their homes and other places.
According to human rights groups, at least 10 young critics of the government were kidnapped by unknown men in the last few weeks. The police have denied their officers were behind the abductions.
Speaking in Homa Bay County on Friday, President Ruto said his government will end the mistreatment of youth. He called on parents to discipline their children.
"These children are blessings that are given to us. Every parent should take care of their children, let's work for our children. We, the government, will do our part, and we will end the abductions so that the Kenyan youth can live in peace," he said.
Boniface Mwangi is a Kenyan activist. He says Kenyan youths are united against the political elite who have made life difficult for them.
"The Gen Z movement, they came together, they were united and they had one goal to reject the finance bill which succeeded and they went a set further to demand for political reforms and change of cabinet and some of it happened and that forced the political elite to come together. So for the first time you have Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga and Ruto in the same camp,” he said.
Since the protests, President Ruto has formed what he calls a broad-based government. He appointed some politicians allied with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his 2022 election main challenger, Raila Odinga, to the office.
"We started as divided people and are closing the year with a broad-based government. We have brought many Kenyans together," said Ruto.
Political observers say this move is designed to better manage the opposition to his administration.
Martin Andati, a political analyst, says such political maneuvers will do little to ease the public's anger toward the Ruto administration.
"The guys in power behave like nothing happened, but the truth is that the dynamics have completely shifted," he said. "The old political class, inclusive of President William Ruto, Raila Odinga, and the likes of Kalonzo, are still stuck in a time up; they are still thinking along tribal chieftains and political kingpins; they are going back to 2007 when these youths are in 2027 already."
Political observers predict a tough political fight ahead, as the Kenyan government and political parties have to constitute a new electoral commission. The current one technically exists, but all the commissioners’ terms have expired.
Some are concerned that youthful activists will start petitions to recall members of parliament, a move that, if successful, may lead to the fall of the government and an early election before 2027.
