Ruto Hits Out At Uhuru's Call To Gen Z To Fight For Their Rights
According to Ruto, Kenyan youth do not need to be opposed to each other and emphasized that what they needed instead was jobs and business opportunities.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
President William Ruto on Sunday, January 19 broke his silence on former President Uhuru Kenyatta's vocal appeal to the Gen Z to fight for their rights, the very Gen Z that has expressed fierce opposition against President Ruto's administration.
Speaking during an interdenominational prayer service at Cheptais High School in Bungoma County, the Head of State, in a thinly veiled response to his former boss, deemed Uhuru's remarks 'inciteful'.
According to Ruto, Kenyan youth do not need to be opposed to each other and emphasized that what they needed instead was jobs and business opportunities. "Our young people deserve the best from us. Let us not pit our children against each other. These young Kenyans do not need violence or confrontation," Ruto stated.
The President further called on leaders to rise to the challenge of encouraging young people to engage in meaningful economic activities instead of incitement.
President William Ruto speaking during an interdenominational prayer service at Cheptais Boys High School in Trans Nzoia County on January 19, 2025. /PCS
"They want jobs and opportunities to engage in business and that is what we should be doing as leaders instead of inciting them to violence," he continued.
The fourth President of the Republic of Kenya, speaking during the burial of his cousin, veteran rally driver Kibathi Muigai, on Friday, January 17, appealed to Gen Z to continue fighting for their rights. This was the same Uhuru whose 'handshake' meeting with President Ruto raised millions of eyebrows, including Gen Z's.
Uhuru made his thoughts clear on the rise of young voices in Kenya's murky politics and asked Gen Z to continue fighting for their rights. Since the 2022 general elections, he has often shied away from speaking on politics.
“The problem of people nowadays is people are afraid. Gen Zs are the story of the future. Fight for your rights. Fight to ensure you are getting what is rightfully yours,” he urged, adding “Don't stand and watch as your wealth is taken from you. Everything is worth fighting for. If you do not fight for it, don't cry if it is taken away.”
Uhuru went on to urge his daughter, Ngina Kenyatta, to also join the fight along with the rest of the youths, arguing it was time for him and those his age to rest as they have fought for their rights for long enough.
Meanwhile, Uhuru's remarks attracted criticism from elsewhere. Ruto's allies, including Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, suggested that the remarks were politically motivated and aimed at 'destabilising' the government.
Speaking during the Garissa High School alumni gathering on Saturday, Duale further criticised Uhuru's remarks, describing them as inciteful and undermining the government of Ruto.
''It is very unfortunate if we the leaders, current and former, set the stage where we tell the young people of our nation to commit acts of violence and disobedience. I think by doing so, we lose the moral high ground,'' Duale stated.
Adding "You had the opportunity to lead the country. Do not ask young people and encourage them to commit violence. Instead, encourage them to maintain peace and stability in our country."
Duale's remarks are likely to further deepen the political harsh responses from Uhuru's allies. However, the CS, known for his unwavering political loyalty and firm stance, refrained from addressing recent controversial remarks made by Daadab MP Farah Maalim and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who have faced public backlash over their allegedly derogatory statements.
Uhuru's message came amid an uprising of Gen Z in Kenya against President Ruto's government. The uprising began with heated protests against the Finance Bill 2024, whose proposals threatened to worsen the country's economy and reduce the appeal of Kenyans to earn money through more punitive taxes.
However, the government has resorted to outrageous countermeasures in a bid to quell the Gen Z movement, reminiscent of the dictatorial regime of the late Daniel Arap Moi. One of them is a spate of abductions targeting young people who have taken the opposition against the government to the online space.
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