President William Ruto has sparked fresh controversy after blaming parents for the sustained Gen Z-led protests that have rocked Kenya since 2024. Speaking during a church service at AIC Bomani in Machakos County on Sunday, the President claimed that a lack of proper parenting may be fueling the unrest.
“Every parent, including me, I take time to parent my children — and so must everybody,” Ruto said. “The police are trained to deal with criminals. They are not trained in parenting.”
He urged families not to “misuse” or “abuse” their children by allowing them to engage in violent demonstrations. “Asiye funzwa na mzazi wake hufunzwa na…” he said, quoting a Kiswahili proverb implying that when parents fail to discipline their children, society steps in — often harshly.
A Pattern of Deflection
President Ruto’s latest remarks continue a pattern of shifting blame for the unrest that began last year, when thousands of young people took to the streets in protest of economic hardship, poor governance, and youth unemployment. Initially hailed as a wake-up call for leadership, the Gen Z movement has since been labeled by the government as manipulated and dangerous.
Over the past year, Ruto has pointed fingers at civil society organizations, opposition leaders, religious institutions, and even international donors like the Ford Foundation — whom he accused in July 2024 of “funding chaos.” The accusation strained relations with the U.S. until Ruto backtracked months later during a diplomatic visit.
Last week, Ruto similarly accused church leaders of failing to speak out against what he termed “incitement.” “How did we get here?” he asked during a service in Elgeyo Marakwet. “If religious and political leaders are all participating in mobilizing our young people into protests, what do we expect?”
Avoiding the Root Causes?
Critics argue that the President’s approach — piling blame on external actors — avoids addressing the real issues: soaring youth unemployment, rising cost of living, and growing public distrust in government. While the administration has used tough rhetoric to frame the protests as foreign-funded or politically incited, it has offered few clear solutions to the crisis that continues to grip the nation.
“Ruto is reacting instead of leading,” said one political analyst. “Every week, there’s a new scapegoat. But young people aren’t in the streets because their parents failed—they’re there because the system failed them.”
As the demonstrations show no sign of abating, the government faces growing pressure to move from blame to dialogue—and to address the structural grievances driving a generation to the streets.
— HornCurrent News Desk
Source: Citizen Digital
