"Return Our Stolen Money Since 2022" Gen Z Issues 5 Demands To Ruto Ahead Of Tuesday's 16th Demos
With the President yet to act on all their grievances, Gen Zs, whose demonstrations are in the third week, have vowed to keep them up.
A new wave of demonstrations led by Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Gen Z protesters is set to take place across the country.
Through social media platforms, the lot planned more demonstrations next week Tuesday to push President William Ruto into action.
In a statement shared on social media, Mwangi outlined the core demands that the protesters will be focused on during these upcoming demonstrations:
So far, the only step Ruto has taken is abandoning the Finance Bill, 2024 and sacking all his Cabinet Secretaries.
1. Release of All Arrested and Abducted Protesters- The protesters are calling for the unconditional release of anyone who has been detained or abducted for participating in the previous rounds of demonstrations against the government.
The calls come despite the President’s promise to interact with the youth through X space, to listen to their grievances and proposals.
2. Arrest of Police Involved in Killings- The protesters want to see police officers who were responsible for the deaths of demonstrators to be identified and arrested to face justice.
July 7, commonly known as Saba Saba and which traces back to 1990 when countrywide pro-democracy demonstrations were held, was the culmination of the protests.
3. Reduce Ministries to 15- The protesters are demanding that the size of the national government be dramatically reduced, with the number of ministries cut down to just 15.
Weeks ago, the protests turned violent after goons criminals infiltrated them.They looted shops, mugged protesters and vandalised property.
4. IEBC Reconstitution in 30 Days- They are insisting that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) be fully reconstituted within 30 days, with strict adherence to the relevant sections of the Kenyan constitution.
Few weeks ago, the protesters breached Parliament in rage never witnessed in the history of the country.The demos, initially meant to push the President to drop the Bill, spiraled into full-blown countrywide street protests.
5. Recover Stolen Funds Through Audits- Finally, they are calling for a full audit of government finances from 2022 onwards, with any funds found to have been stolen to be returned to state coffers.
They metamorphosed into a call for sweeping reforms - demanding Ruto institutes radical changes, including firing corrupt officials from his inner circle.