In Condemnation Of Ruto’s Ruthlessness Against Kenyan Youths -By Isaac Asabor

In the annals of African political history, a disturbing trend continues to repeat itself, leaders who rise to power on the shoulders of the youth, only to turn against them once they settle into office. The recent events in Kenya under the administration of President William Ruto have painfully reaffirmed this pattern. The brutality meted out to protesting Kenyan youths over the Finance Bill 2024 has cast a long, dark shadow over his presidency and has exposed a glaring betrayal of the people he once vowed to serve

Before I am asked “Wetin concern you with wetin dey happen for Kenya?”, it is not out of place to explain by saying that what made me to be expressing my views against Ruto’s ruthlessness towards Kenyan youths cannot be farfetched as there is an African proverb that says, “When the eyes shed tears, the nose sheds catarrh in sympathy.” The wisdom in the foregoing saying lies in the fact that the eyes and the nose are not far from each other, and they naturally respond to each other’s pain. In the same vein, as a Nigerian and a proud African, the plight of Kenyan youths cannot be ignored because what affects one part of Africa should concern all of us as our destinies are intertwined by shared history, struggle, and hope.

In fact, it is not newsy to recall in this context that President Ruto campaigned under the banner of a “hustler nation”, a campaign pay line that resonated deeply with Kenya’s vast youth population struggling with unemployment, inflation, and systemic inequality. It was a populist message that promised economic liberation and inclusion. But like a well-scripted play with a tragic twist, the very youths who once danced to the rhythm of his promises are now being silenced, tear-gassed, shot at, and killed on the streets of Nairobi and beyond.

What has angered many observers across the continent and indeed the world is not just the passing of a controversial Finance Bill, but the callousness with which dissenting voices, mostly young and unarmed, have been handled by the Ruto administration. The Finance Bill 2024 proposed several austerity measures that would further squeeze an already struggling population, including tax hikes on essential items and digital services that the youth heavily depend on.

When the youth rose in protest, the response from the state was not one of dialogue or understanding. Instead, it was brutal repression. Eyewitness accounts, verified videos, and reports from credible rights organizations painted a harrowing picture of excessive force, abductions, and deaths. According to Kenya’s Human Rights Commission, at least 39 people, mostly youths, were killed during the nationwide protests. Many more were injured or arrested. These are not just statistics; they are lives snuffed out in their prime, young men and women who believed in a better Kenya and dared to demand it.

In fact, the unrest, which began escalating in 2024, has seen major anniversaries like June 25th become focal points for renewed action, alongside ongoing sporadic protests. As gathered, on June 25, 2025, nationwide protests across 27 counties led to significant casualties, with reports indicating 19 fatalities and 531 injuries, a stark increase from the June 25, 2024, protests, which recorded 60 deaths and 20 missing individuals.

By the end of June 25, 2025, the toll had tragically risen to 15 enforced disappearances and 179 arrests, alongside disturbing reports of sexual violence. The protests, predominantly led by Gen Z youth and increasingly joined by opposition figures and human rights activists, are a response to alleged government neglect, burdensome taxes, the rising cost of living, and persistent police brutality.

What makes Ruto’s ruthlessness even more unbearable is the hypocrisy that wraps it. As a former chicken seller who climbed the rungs of political power through sheer grit and grassroots mobilization, Ruto styled himself as a man of the people. His “bottom-up economic model” was supposed to uplift the poor and create opportunities for the youth. Instead, his government now appears more preoccupied with appeasing international creditors and safeguarding elite interests than addressing the daily struggles of ordinary Kenyans.

The president’s justification for the tax hikes has been debt repayment and fiscal sustainability. But this line of reasoning rings hollow when juxtaposed with the government’s continued lavish spending, opulent lifestyle, and bloated public wage bill. You cannot tighten the belt around the waists of the poor while loosening it for the political elite. It is immoral, unjust, and provocative.

Unfortunately, Ruto is not an isolated case. Across Africa, youthful populations are increasingly becoming disillusioned by leaderships that pay lip service to inclusion while deploying force to suppress dissent. From Nigeria’s #EndSARS movement in 2020 to Uganda’s #FreeBobiWine protests and the current clampdown in Kenya, a chilling pattern is emerging: African youths are being targeted for demanding what is rightfully theirs, a say in how they are governed.

In Kenya’s case, what makes the situation even more damning is the fact that these protests were largely peaceful and well-organized. The youth who took to the streets were not criminals; they were educated, civic-minded citizens who believe in constitutional democracy. They mobilized themselves through social media, carried placards, chanted slogans, and knelt with their hands up, symbols of peaceful protest. And yet, they were met with bullets.

Equally disturbing is the conspicuous silence of the international community, particularly Western nations that often claim to champion democracy and human rights. Had this scale of brutality occurred in a non-aligned state or a country out of favor with the West, the global outrage would have been swift and deafening. Sanctions would have been threatened, travel bans imposed, and multilateral institutions would have issued condemnatory statements by the hour.

But in the case of Kenya, a key U.S. ally in East Africa and a partner in regional security matters, the silence has been strategic. It reeks of double standards. Human rights must not be contingent on geopolitical alignment. The young people of Kenya deserve global solidarity, not selective morality.

The ruthlessness of Ruto’s regime should serve as a wake-up call for African youths who are often used as voting pawns and discarded post-election. It is a reminder that true change does not come from charismatic slogans or carefully crafted political rhetoric, it comes from structural transformation, accountability, and consistent civic engagement.

The protests in Kenya have shown that the youth are not apathetic. They are politically aware, organized, and courageous. But they must now evolve from protest to sustained political participation. They must organize, run for office, support people-centered policies, and hold leaders accountable, not just during elections but every single day.

President Ruto must be made to understand that state power does not equate to license for tyranny. The killings, abductions, and injuries inflicted on Kenyan youths cannot be swept under the rug. Independent investigations must be carried out. Justice must be served to the victims and their families. If not, the stain of these atrocities will forever taint his legacy.

Moreover, the Finance Bill must be revisited. Policies that deepen poverty, alienate the youth, and widen inequality cannot be allowed to stand. Leadership must be about service, not subjugation.

In condemning Ruto’s ruthlessness against Kenyan youths, we must also reflect on the deeper, systemic problems that enable such cruelty. Weak institutions, impunity, a docile political opposition, and a citizenry historically sidelined from governance all contribute to the cycle of betrayal that African youths are caught in.

But there is hope. The courage displayed by Kenyan youths, even in the face of bullets, proves that a new consciousness is rising. One that is tired of mediocrity, tired of corruption, and tired of empty promises. If leaders like Ruto fail to rise to the moment and instead resort to iron-fisted repression, they will only quicken the unraveling of their own political reigns.

The Kenyan government must take heed. The world may have looked away for now, but history is watching, and it will not forget. Nor will the youth of Kenya. Nor will Africa.