Gen-z youths in Kitengela in a protest to mark one year since their colleagues were killed as they protested finance bill 2024. Most businesses were looted and burnt. [Jenipher Wachie/Standard]
There are shouts and ballads on the streets, “Ruto must go” and “Kasongo must go.” But go how, or where? In reality, there are only three ways this can happen: Through impeachment by Parliament, incapacitation or death in office, or at the ballot in 2027. There is no other way. Even if you were to demonstrate for a million years and burn down the entire country, President William Ruto will not leave power unconstitutionally. The Constitution protects his presidency just as it protects your right to protest his excesses.
What many Gen Zs and others may not realise is that, if Dr Ruto were removed from power today—unconstitutionally—the country would either fall into the hand of the military or descend into total anarchy. All the democratic processes we currently enjoy would be suspended, along with the Constitution. This deeper perspective often goes unappreciated.
Gen Zs, if Ruto were ousted today, all your dreams would be shattered. The education system would crumble. Public institutions would collapse. Civil war would define our nation, and your children might grow up in camps or live as destitute refugees in neighboring countries.
Follow the The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
Ask the Sudanese. Inquire from the Congolese or from the people of Somalia. Libya, Haiti, and other countries have tasted the bitter fruits of lawlessness. These nations—now failed states—once enjoyed the same freedoms and good life we have in Kenya. They took it for granted, and look what happened: They plunged their beautiful countries into perpetual wars and unrest.
Your education would become useless and meaningless because, without stable governance, nobody will listen to your cries. At least we have a president who listens. Ruto has delivered according to his manifesto and, perhaps, your wishes have been answered—and he continues to do more. To a great extent, the Ruto has walked the talk. That’s the beauty of democracy. But even democracy has its limits. Reflect on this and reconsider the demonstrations. Instead, prepare to cast your vote in 2027.
On the matter of impeachment, the Opposition is playing to the gallery—they know what needs to be done. The Opposition has the numbers to bring an impeachment motion against the President in Parliament. For whatever reason, they prefer anarchy to following the constitutional process.
Some claim Ruto is a bad president, but wasn’t the same said of his predecessors? Yet Ruto is judged by a completely different standard. When former President Uhuru Kenyatta was recklessly borrowing money and wrecking the economy, the prevailing sentiment then was “Amalize aende”—let him finish his term—despite egregious human rights abuses and apparent incompetence. Conversely, Ruto—who has reduced the cost of energy, lowered the price of unga, and disbursed funds to counties in full—MUST GO chants comes before his term ends! Make that make sense. Ruto has performed better, in a short stint, than Uhuru and Kibaki by all metrics and statistics.
Interestingly, the “Ruto Must Go” bandwagon seems to have no plan for what’s next. You’ve probably heard their argument: “anyone but Ruto”. Their anger is tenacious and unappeasable, seemingly unrelated to Ruto’s performance on key government metrics. They are angry at everything and anything.
Given what happened on June 25 and July 7 (Saba Saba), it’s clear that some people seek to plunge the country into lawlessness and chaos. They hide under the guise of clamouring for change while carrying the odorous baggage of past regimes. I am genuinely horrified by how far these recent demonstrations have strayed from the energising and captivating Gen Z protests that began on June 20, 2024, against the Finance Bill. What an unusual evolution!
If Ruto must go, we must apply the same standard we did to his predecessor. We must give him the same benefit of the doubt we gave Uhuru and wait to judge him in 2027.
Anarchy serves no one. It is a disease that, once it takes root, is almost impossible to uproot. Our lawless neighbours provide a perfect example of how unchecked lawlessness can become a persistent problem. The interests of our country must always come first. We have no other country, and our neighbours would not welcome us if we, by some misfortune, destroyed our own.
Follow the The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
By Benedict Toroitich