‘Zakayo Lazima Ashuke!’ – Unrelenting Gen Z Demand Ruto’s Resignation

‘Ruto Must Go!” is the new bare minimum after Government unleashed violence against unarmed demonstrators, killing tens, and deploys military on city streets

By THEDISPATCH.DIGITAL REPORTER

Gen Z protestors were yesterday unrelenting in their quest for change in Kenya as they demanded the resignation of President William Ruto for killing their comrades and staying adamant when they demanded the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024

Converging on X social media in unprecedented numbers, Gen Z activists narrated how the President had refused to listen to their grievances and instead unleashed the police on them whe they came out to protest peacefully.

“He killed our comrades,” said a member on the forum, which had attracted over 100,000 discussants and listeners, “we shall accept nothing short of Ruto resigning.”

The Gen Z was also raising funds on the forum to assist their members who had either been injured or killed during the demonstrations and as at las night, more that Sh14 million had been raised with more still coming.

Several fora had ben convened on X to discuss the next course of action after President Ruto convened a press conference to announce that he had declined to sign the Bill and “withdrawn” it. But it was the alleged withdrawal that seemed to irk Gen Z as there is no provision for a Bill that had bene passed by Parliament to be “withdrawn” b he President. Indeed Article 155 of the Constitution provides for the processing a Bill after Parliament has passed it.

Presidential assent and referral. 115.

(1)  Within fourteen days after receipt of a Bill, the President shall—

(a) assent to the Bill; or

(b) refer the Bill back to Parliament for reconsideration by Parliament, noting any reservations that the President has concerning the Bill.

(2)  If the President refers a Bill back for reconsideration, Parliament may, following the appropriate procedures under this Part—

(a) amend the Bill in light of the President’s reservations; or

(b) pass the Bill a second time without amendment.

(3)  If Parliament amends the Bill fully accommodating the President’s reservations, the appropriate Speaker shall re-submit it to the President for assent

(4)  Parliament, after considering the President’s reservations, may pass the Bill a second time, without amendment, or with amendments that do not fully accommodate the President’s reservations, by a vote supported—

(a) by two-thirds of members of the National Assembly; and

(b) two-thirds of the delegations in the Senate, if it is a Bill that requires the approval of the Senate.

(5)  If Parliament has passed a Bill under clause (4)—

(a) the appropriate Speaker shall within seven days re-submit it to the President; and (b) the President shall within seven days assent to the Bill.

(6)  If the President does not assent to a Bill or refer it back within the period prescribed in clause (1), or assent to it under clause (5)(b), the Bill shall be taken to have been assented to on the expiry of that period.

One of the fora was titled: “Why is Ruto Lying?? No retreat No Surrender” and had attracted over 115,000 listeners and discussants by 10pm. There were other smaller discussions going on and participants voiced their anger over corruption, in the national government and the counties, which appeared to be their biggest concern. Other issues raised were the conspicuous consumption displayed by Ruto’s allies and supporters; the lack of employment for young people even after qualifying; stagnated economy and the lies that the government was growing industries wile no industries had been set up to take advantage of the taxes announced.

The anger on X was raw and gave no room for Ruto to negotiate his way out of the crisis as most participants pointed out they had lost truest in him due to his incessant lies, callousness and apparent lack of principle. But some raised concerns over their safety after they said Ruto and MPs had set them up against the KDF, although it was not clear if the KDF would be on the streets after Law Society of Kenya President Faith Omollo secured a court order suspending their deployment to control the demonstrations in major town of Kenya.

In its petition, the LSK argued that “no emergency, disaster, insecurity, unrest or instability has been officially declared to exist in Kenya, and to be outside the mandate, scope or capacity of the National Police or any other authority to warrant the deployment of the KDF to provide support to the National Police in the manner envisaged in the Impugned Gazette Notice.”

But Parliament had gone ahead to rubberstamp the deployment, which had been ordered illegally by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale in a night Gazette Notice.

Meanwhile, in an effort to control the damage and manage he crisis that he had been insensitive to, President Ruto convened a meeting with religious leaders last evening. Sources disclosed that pat of the agenda of the meeting was to see how the leaders could mediate in the crisis. Although initially adamant and determined to hold onto his power at “whatever cost” Ruto appears to have woken up to the reality that Gen Z means business and could probably stop at nothing short of his removal from office.