Retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has stated the challenges Gen Z’s revolution is likely to face going forward.
The Gen Z have been the face of the uprising against the government in the recent past, and Mutunga, a vibrant activist since his days before he was appointed to head the apex court, has stated the challenges that lie ahead for the revolution.
“I believe Gen Z is a revolutionary mass movement that is going to face the following challenges: serious challenges from the discredited two factions of the ruling class.
“The use of ethnicity, race, gender, religion, and money to stop the movement from succeeding; and foreign interests that support the elite, although these interests may want, as they have done in the past, to capture the movement and own it,” Mutunga said in a post on X on Sunday, July 14, 2024.
The law scholar has advised Gen Z to avoid what could lead to the death of their nascent revolution. He also advised the youth to ensure they get the national identity cards in order to be voters in the next election.
“I believe that the broad programme of what the movement stands for must now attack all barons in the two factions. The movement will die if it is aligned with any of the two factions.
“Your agenda must now come out. Change is a marathon, and as you protest; you should not lose focus on your goals, and most importantly, ensure that every Gen Z is a registered voter,” he added.
State harassment
Since the protest began, some figures who identified with the movement were targeted and abducted, and Mutunga says Gen Z must start thinking of protecting those who can be pointed out for harassment by the state.
“You must start thinking about the protection of those whom the state is targeting. To imagine that the president will just forget about this and move on is naïve. There will be an attempt to launch a counter-assault by the government.
“Just like (retired president the late Daniel) Moi in the 80’s and 90’s, the government will attempt to silence all voices of the revolution. The difference this time is that Kenyans have alternative media that they are using to report on what is going on. Social media is both a tool, a weapon, and a shield for Gen Zs,” he argued.
With the call to have police held accountable for the deaths that occurred during the period of demonstrations getting louder, Mutunga has added his voice to the matter.
“Many innocent Kenyans have been killed and maimed by police bullets and state violence. We must demand justice for the victims of state brutality. Part of the justice is to also ensure that those who have been used by the state to cause these deaths and injuries are arrested and submitted to the legal process.
“It is time for accountability. Those who have paid the ultimate price for the constitution must be compensated,” he said.
Mutunga also said that corruption and corrupt leaders are Kenya’s greatest enemies and that these are what have angered the youth who want change now.
“For long, Kenya has stagnated. The educated and diverse youth population is firmly in the 21st century, but the government and the state are stuck in the past. Instead of leading Kenya into prosperity, they are plowing us into regression.
“The Gen Zs are saying that it’s time to demand a better nation that serves the people and creates a nation where everyone can find prosperity. This cannot happen if corruption, self-interest, and self-promotion continue to be the drivers of leadership in Kenya,” he continued.