“Kenya’s President Ruto in Trouble: Can He Stop Protests and Win Over Gen Z?”
(Based on Reuters reporting)
Kenya’s President William Ruto is facing a big crisis. Young protesters—many from Gen Z—are flooding the streets, braving police batons, tear gas, and even bullets. Their chant? “Ruto wantam”—meaning they want him out after just one term.
Ruto came to power three years ago, promising to help the poor and stop police violence. But now, Kenyans are angry over high prices, corruption, and police brutality. If things don’t change fast, Ruto could become a “one-term president”—just like the protesters are demanding.
Why Are Kenyans So Angry?
According to Reuters, the protests turned deadly this week, with at least 31 people killed as police fired live bullets. Many protesters are young, educated, and jobless—frustrated with a government they say doesn’t listen.
“We can’t feed our families, so we have to be on the street,” said Festus Muiruri, 22, a protester in Nairobi. “We want the president to hear us.”
But Ruto’s government has been slow to react. Last year, he only backed down on tax hikes after protesters stormed parliament. Now, his officials are calling the protests a “coup attempt”—making things worse.
The Big Problem: Gen Z Won’t Back Down
Unlike past protests led by politicians, this movement is leaderless—organized on social media by young Kenyans who don’t fear the government. Many were born after Kenya’s dark days of dictatorship and aren’t afraid to demand change.
A report by Afrobarometer (cited by Reuters) says 800,000 young Kenyans enter the job market yearly—but most stay unemployed. This makes them even angrier.
Can Ruto Fix This Before 2027 Elections?
Experts say Ruto has two choices:
- Listen to the youth—cut costs, create jobs, and stop police violence.
- Keep using force—but risk losing the next election.
“If Ruto keeps ignoring them, he’ll lose Gen Z forever,” said Javas Bigambo, a political analyst. “Right now, young people see the government as blind, deaf, and dumb.”
What’s Next?
Investors are already worried. Business confidence in Kenya is at a record low (Reuters data). If protests keep growing, Kenya’s economy could suffer even more.
Ruto still has time to turn things around—but Gen Z won’t wait forever.
Final Thought:
Ruto promised change, but Kenya’s youth are saying: “Enough talk—we want action.” If he doesn’t act fast, “Ruto wantam” might just come true.
(Source: Reuters, Afrobarometer, and expert analysis)