Gatundu South MP Gabriel Gathuka Kagombe made a startling claim that the ongoing protests against the controversial Finance Bill 2024 are being sponsored by the Illuminati.
Speaking at a church service on June 23, 2024, Kagombe said that the secretive group, often linked to Satanic cults, is behind the demonstrations that gripped Nairobi last week.
The lawmaker suggested that young protesters have been misled by this clandestine organization.
“Kwa haya mambo ya Finance Bill pasiwe mtu mwenye anachukua wakati huu kupotosha wanainchi. Na mukitaka kujua mutaona ya kwamba zile video zinazunguka hapa zinaanza na kitu inaitwa Illuminati na najua mumeona. Wale watu wanasponsor maandamano hapa Nairobi ni group inajiita Illuminati na sijui kama nyinyi munajua Illuminati ni akina nani? Na Watoto wetu wamefungwa macho.
(Regarding the Finance Bill, no one should use this opportunity to mislead the citizens. If you want to know, you will see that the videos circulating here start with something called Illuminati, and I know you’ve seen them. The people sponsoring the protests in Nairobi are a group called Illuminati, and I don’t know if you know who the Illuminati are? Our children have been blindfolded),” the MP remarked.
Kagombe’s comments add to a series of controversial statements from government-affiliated politicians.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah recently faced backlash for derogatory remarks about the Generation Z protesters before attempting to walk back his comments.
During a public event in Eladama Ravine, Baringo County, on June 21, 2024, Ichung’wah characterized the Gen Z protesters as an elite group.
“The Gen Z have iPhones and use Ubers to protest. They leave the protests and go to KFC to eat chicken and fillets, their water is bottled…did you see them? They don’t know what power shortages are…they have electricity 24/7,” he remarked.
In response to the backlash, Ichung’wah took to social media on Sunday to praise the same group he had previously mocked.
In a Facebook post, he commended Gen Z for transcending ethnic and tribal barriers in their advocacy efforts.
“The emergence of Gen Z as a force in advocacy and governance has shown a remarkable shift towards unity and inclusivity, transcending ethnic and tribal barriers that have long divided us,” he wrote.
Ichung’wah’s change of heart comes on the heels of President William Ruto’s remarks, acknowledging the efforts of youthful protesters.
Speaking during a Sunday service at the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) in Nyahururu on Sunday, June 24, 2024, Ruto conveyed that the government had heard the voices of Gen-Zs and was prepared to engage in dialogue with them.
“I am very proud of our young people for stepping forward, tribeless and peaceful. I assure them that we are concerned about their issues. In this year’s budget, I have enhanced digital jobs because we acknowledge the challenge of unemployment in the county,” Ruto said.
President Ruto praised their calls for change and assured that their views would be considered and necessary adjustments made.
The Finance Bill 2024 has sparked widespread protests across Kenya, drawing criticism for its perceived impact on the economy and the daily lives of citizens.
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