Ruto Apologises To Gen Zs After Urge From American Pastor
Ruto spoke during the National Prayer Breakfast in Nairobi on Wednesday, May 28, when he issued the apology
Marvin Chege 
President William Ruto has apologised to the Kenyan Gen Zs over the alleged abductions, enforced disappearances, and killings witnessed last year.
Ruto spoke during the National Prayer Breakfast in Nairobi on Wednesday, May 28, when he issued the apology, responding to a call by former NFL star and renowned American Pastor Rickey Allen Bolden to the Head of State and other Kenyan leaders from across the political divide to apologise to the youth.
Bolden had emphasised beforehand the need to fix the strained relationship between politicians and Gen Z, saying, “I pray that leaders would apologise to Gen Z for the arrests & shutting down the internet. They respect you, but they don’t feel respected."
“When we are talking about relationships, would it not be beautiful if leaders were to stand up and say to our Gen Zs we had you arrested and we knew that had to be traumatising, and we are sorry."
Demonstrators hurl stones at Kenyan security forces during a protest in downtown Nairobi, on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. /AFP.GETTY IMAGES
Ruto, in response, stated, "To our children, if there has been any misstep, we apologise."
This came in the wake of last year’s anti-Finance Bill protests led by Gen Z, where young people stepped up to challenge the system head-on.
What started as a protest turned into a full-blown movement calling for President Ruto’s ouster. Gen Z ultimately bore the brunt of the violent clashes. Even after the dust settled, they didn’t back down—instead, they turned to social media to call out the government.
Some went a step further, using AI to create unflattering images of Ruto. In the fallout, several of those involved reportedly faced abductions and forced disappearances.
Meanwhile, in the same address, President Ruto issued an apology to Kenya’s neighbour, Tanzania, following recent tensions between the two countries.
“From Tanzania, if we have wronged you in any way, please forgive us. Our friends from Uganda, if we have wronged you in any way, please forgive us,” he said, adding "To our neighbours, if there has been any misstep, forgive us. We want to build relationships that will move our countries forward."
Tensions flared between Kenya and Tanzania after six Kenyans were deported while trying to attend Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s trial two weeks ago. Since then, both nations have been trading jabs online, with criticism flying between citizens and leaders.
This week, Tanzanian MPs voiced strong anger over how Kenyan youth and activists reacted to the deportations.
On Tuesday, Tanzanian MP Jesca Msambatavangu claimed she was hit with a wave of cyberbullying from Kenyan youth, saying her phone was bombarded with calls and messages after she slammed Kenyan activists for interfering in Tanzania’s affairs.
Things got more heated on Monday during a fiery debate in Tanzania’s parliament, where lawmakers called on President Ruto to rein in Kenyans they say have been disrespecting President Samia Suluhu.
The drama intensified when Tanzania’s Home Affairs Minister, Innocent Bashungwa, told police to crack down on locals sharing foreign-made social media content that portrays President Suluhu negatively.
While presenting his ministry's 2025/26 budget on Monday, he pushed for tighter collaboration between the police and the Tanzanian Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to track down and punish Tanzanians spreading activist content from outside the country.
