A Crossroads for Kenya’s Protest Movement — Time to Rethink the Path

The events of June 25, 2025, especially the huge destruction of property witnessed in parts of Mt. Kenya, should give every concerned Kenyan pause. Only a year ago, Kenya’s Gen Z had captured the imagination of the country — standing tall for accountability, justice, and leadership renewal. Theirs was a protest movement that inspired hope. But the recent descent into leaderless protests, fueled by political incitement and culminating in economic sabotage, risks undoing all the hard-earned credibility of that movement.

We must ask ourselves — what are we fighting for, and who is leading us?

When protests lose their theme, they lose their power. Spontaneity without clarity becomes chaos. And chaos only serves the interests of those keen on suppressing voices of change. Worse still, when destructive elements creep in — looting, burning, and violence — the moral high ground shifts away from the people and lands squarely in the hands of a government waiting to justify repression.

More worrying is the dangerous flirtation with political opportunism. The recent reckless utterances by the DCP party leader — inciting the masses — betray the very spirit of civic action. Let it be said plainly: the youth of this country should never be anyone’s political cannon fodder. Politicians seeking relevance in moments of public anger are not allies of progress; they are parasites on people’s pain.

So, where do we go from here?

Kenya’s youth and youth leaders must urgently rethink strategy. Return to the organizing principles that gave birth to the June 2024 movement — nonviolence, focus on clear demands, and a disciplined rejection of political manipulation. Civic action is not about street anarchy; it is about principled resistance with defined goals.

Equally disturbing are remarks from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, suggesting that Kenya is crumbling both politically and economically because Mt. Kenya has been “thrown to the periphery.” Such sentiments are not just nauseating — they fan ethnic resentment and undermine national unity. They deserve urgent rebuttal from all who care about a stable and united Kenya. Leaders who exploit regional grievances for political gain are just as culpable as those inciting lawlessness in the streets.

At this critical moment, the future holds two possibilities:

A return to focused, peaceful civic engagement that forces leadership to listen.

Or a slide into violence and manipulation that invites crackdown, public resentment, and political hijack.

The choice is ours. And history will remember what we chose.