Street Protests (Kenya); Is It The Solution?

As I begin to write this blog the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya is Hon Rigathi Gachagua aka Riggy G the truthful Man.

Last year the month May was an interesting month for our beloved Nation. And will definitely be worth being noted down in the history books. Gen Z (these are children born between 1997 to 2012) organized a street protests to reject a Finance Bill & demand better governance & Accountability. Let me tell you Maina(A Kenyan Phrase) Gen Z is a powerhouse. They are Tribeless, Fearless & Leaderless. Being Leaderless could mean no one time will meetings be called & comprise takes place. We have witnessed how in the past leaders have been compromised and end up singing or dancing to the tune of the oppresor.

According to Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to the public authorities. Protests sadly are not a new thing in Kenya. I don't think there is any regime that has ruled without experiencing Street Protests. It seems it's the only way to get the attention of the government of the day and demand for better governance.

In the past street protests have always been associated with The Right Honorable Mr. Raila Odinga. He has been vying for the presidency since the year 1997 till to date. He is the man who has always called for his supporters to protest against the government of the day. Sadly this protests do not end very well because at the end of the day we are talking about loss of lives, Injured people and destruction of property which includes looting. Businesses are destroyed and people are left counting the losses. And it always creates a kind of hostility and tension within the country. And for sure many times we have almost played the drums of war.

But how the government responds to these protests is of great importance. When the history of this country is being written 9th March 2018 will be penned as the day there was a Handshake between Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta (then president) and Mr. Raila Odinga. This is where the term 'Nusu Mkate' (Half Bread) originated from to mean sharing of government. The handshake's aim was to cease the hostility and series of protest that had engulfed the Nation. Which was dangerously leading to the brink of civil unrest. This was months after we had held two presidential elections in one year. For the government of the day this seemed to be the better solution. During the Handshake it was only Uhuru & Raila in front of the cameras. But what about the leaders who went to the streets with Raila or the protestors who endured the Teargas, Hot Water Spray or the live bullets. Is it a story of betrayal ? or abandoning a political cause for better governance. You can actually term this as selfish leadership where one uses the masses (others) for his personal gain. 

And that's how we end up not having an Opposition Leader. Someone to keep the government in checks & balance or to be accountable to the electorate. An Opposition is very vital for any country because it ensures the government of the day delivers to it's people. But sadly the opposition always sings to the tune of the government or negotiate to be included in the government through appointments.

When I was studying for my degree in Political Science there was a a topic we learned called Political Socialization. Which simply means how people develop their political knowledge, values and opinions. Therefore for the Gen Z they have observed that the only way to get attention of the government of the day is taking it to the streets. The main tool of mobilization was the Social Media platform. In this day and age if you want to find the youth just go to the social media platform. This was a protest that was conducted both physical and online. If you couldn't make it physical then one was encouraged to post about it online ensuring that the hashtags are trending. It was a war fought both physical and Online. Actually the mobilization was done online.

 I recently had an interview of Ms. Martha Karua at Clearing The Waves and she stated that the protest usually begin peacefully but once the police start using force things go mayhem, Then there was the infiltration of hired goons. And that's how the Gen Z's went back to fighting this battle online. 

When will the Voice of Kenyans be heard & Action Taken? Does it take a War? Or the an Army Take Over? 

And as I finish writing this blog the Deputy President is Hon Prof Kindiki kithure. They say Ruto did to Gachagua that which Uhuru didn't do to him. There are no friends in politics it's just a game of interest. I scratch your back you scratch mine. Its a game of numbers.