I have just finished watching the BBC documentary on the Gen Z protests of June last year. Man, what a horrible situation the protests continue to be in the history of our country! First, I would like to send a heartfelt “thank you” note to the BBC and the entire media fraternity, who have so far done a compelling job in covering events that transpired and uncovering the suspected perpetrators of the killings that took place.
The documentary made me appreciate the role of the 4th Estate even more. Moreover, the role of independent media journalists and the robust penetration of smartphones cannot be overstated, as far as the BBC documentary is concerned. Therefore, it is disheartening to hear public comments by senior state officials on controlling social media.
Bravo, brave journalists and young Kenyans who used their phones, their cameras, and their courage to capture the truth second-by-second. Over 5000 images and videos pieced together in the documentary expose what the powers that be tried to bury. – David Maraga, Chief Justice Emeritus
The documentary made me rethink the role of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The footages, technologies, and techniques used by the BBC makes me wonder about the capabilities of our security agencies.
Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) have always received reverence and respect from the general public, despite citizens’ views on the government of the day. Personally, I have always shown gratitude towards them as the protectors of our state. BBC’s proper allegations of their involvement in the shooting in the parliament, which led to at least one killing in the protests, are alarming.
It is unfathomable that no police officer has been charged in a court of law following the killings during the protests. Surely, the killings were done by police officers. Call that an unsubstantiated allegation, but it’s undeniable within the social spheres that the killings were done by the men in uniform.
Almost a year down the line, I remain with more questions than answers. Actually, the only answer I have is that our country is yearning for a change in leadership. Structural and systemic reforms across the public leadership of the country.
For me, at this particular moment, the big question is how reforms should be conducted in this country. A series of largely peaceful protests led to the killing of innocent citizens. In addition, despite the loud protests, the members of parliament, who are the representatives of the people, still voted for the passing of the Finance Bill 2024, the primary reason for the protests.
Although the president dissented from signing the bill into law, many citizens remain with a lot of unanswered questions. Is it ever safe to protest again in this country, especially considering the reported police brutalities and abductions that have so far arisen in the recent past? What other avenues are available for expressing discontent with the government?
Now that the parliament has been captured by the executive, two interdependent arms of government, what are the implications moving forward? What can be done to reverse this conundrum?
I have not lost hope for my country. I believe that there comes a time when we will have a government that represents the true interests of the people and obeys and respects the Constitution.
But this will only be realized if, as a people, we continue to unite and fight for the change we want to see. This will surely take time, but we must stay on course. The education system must prioritize civic education, especially the key tenets of liberal democracy and good leadership. Education plays a critical role in shaping a country’s future, and, therefore, we must raise an alarm at the current dysfunctional university funding model.
In addition, we, as a people, must practice tolerance for divergent ideologies, especially as young people. We must not allow ourselves to be divided by the ruling class through ideologies based on ethnicity or religion. We must continue to engage in political discourses – online and offline – and in the process remain tolerant and maintain decorum.
Of course, there is no better active participation in positively changing the country than exercising the right as a voter in an election. In addition to voting, we must also run for political positions to implement the changes that we want. The person yearning for change must be ready to partake in making it happen, either directly by standing to be elected to occupy the positions that enable change to happen, or indirectly by electing someone whom you believe is going to make the required change happen.
My heart goes out to those who lost their lives during the Gen Z protests last year in June. May their souls rest in peace.
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