June 25th: A Letter to Gen Z, One Year After the Storm

“You are either at the table, or on the menu.” – Political saying

One year ago, on June 25th, 2024, the walls of Parliament shook—not from bombs or bullets, but from the raw, unfiltered fury of Kenya’s youngest generation.

Gen Z didn’t come to negotiate. They came to be heard. And in doing so, they rewrote history.

But like every fire, there is always the danger of burning the house down—alongside the rot we intended to clear. This is a moment for reflection, for truth, and for clarity.

Before the Flame: The Seeds of Anger

To understand what happened last June, we must look further back.

Kenya has walked a long road of broken dreams. The last regime—filled with bloated contracts, ghost projects, white elephants, and loud silence—left the country on its knees.

So when Dr. William Samoei Ruto stood up in 2022 as the “hustler” against dynasties, it felt like dawn.

For many, especially youth and first-time voters, he was hope with a tongue that knew poverty, a voice that mimicked the mtaa.

But the dream was short-lived.

💔 The Birth of the Betrayed Generation

What followed was a government more obsessed with taxation than transformation. Taxes to fund the ambitions of the new administration, to a point of apprising ....

Hustler Fund? A it became a mockery.

Fuel prices? Skyrocketing with no explanation.

Unemployment? Still biting like never before.

Corruption? As shameless as ever.

And when the Finance Bill 2024 landed, it became the straw that crushed every silent back. So many proposals

Gen Z had had enough.

From TikTok to the streets. From memes to placards. From silence to thunder.

🏛️ The Day Parliament Was Stormed

On June 25th, 2024, history turned a page.

Not since the Second Liberation had Kenyans witnessed such unity and such bold defiance. The parliament was no longer a sacred cow—it was a site of protest. Of resistance. Of pain.

But the price was heavy.

Rex Kanyike—shot while livestreaming the protest.

Ashley Oyugi—gunned down in cold blood.

Evans Kiratu. Kennedy Otieno. Alvin Wanjala.

And many others whose names never made the news but live in chants, on banners, and in hashtags.

Their blood didn’t spill in vain.

But it also shouldn’t spill again.

🔥 The Revolution Without a Roadmap

In the weeks that followed, Kenya became a country in limbo.

Protests continued—but without a clear direction.

What started as a righteous cry for accountability turned into a daily ritual of chaos, sometimes infiltrated by gangs, manipulated by politicians, or shadowed by fear.

We have seen this before.

In Syria, the Arab Spring lit a candle of hope—but it burnt the whole house down.

In Libya, Gaddafi fell, but so did stability.

In Somalia, the fall of Siad Barre unleashed decades of darkness.

History is shouting at us: Anger is not enough. Protest is not a plan.

🎯 Ruto’s Wins We Must Acknowledge

And yet, even as we call out betrayal, we must also be honest:

Dr. William Ruto has made some moves worth recognizing.

A digital revolution in the civil service.

Infrastructure expansion in many counties.

International diplomacy that has positioned Kenya as a continental leader.

A promise to reduce the cost of power and fuel.

And most recently, agreeing to withdraw the Finance Bill under immense pressure.

These are not minor victories.

But they don’t erase the pain, the blood, the lies, or the broken trust.

🧠 A Warning and a Wake-Up Call

Gen Z—if you’re reading this, hear this from someone older but still full of hope:

You are Kenya’s miracle.

But you are also its risk—if you do not organize.

No more leaders we can’t question.

No more slogans like “Our thief, our choice.”

We must never again elevate a tainted leader on tribal pride or political bitterness.

If they stole, they should stay out. Period.

🗳️ The Future We Must Build

We don’t just need change. We need character.

We need leaders who can show their taxes, not just preach about paying them.

Leaders who can open their past and say: “Here, judge me.”

And we need a Gen Z that can vote, audit, pressure, and if need be—replace.

That’s how democracy grows. Not just with fire—but with follow-through.

📜 Final Word: Remember Why You Rose

You didn’t rise for violence.

You didn’t rise for power.

You rose because you believed that a better Kenya is possible.

Hold on to that belief. Guard it from corruption. Lead it with strategy.

And never forget:

The first protest is rage. The last one must be a vote.

🕊️ To our fallen brothers and sisters—we will not forget you.

To our youth—keep rising.

But now, rise with a plan.

#June25Anniversary #GenZKenya #RageToReform