Prime Minister CS Mudavadi admits Kenya’s Kwanza failures, urges unity

Kenya’s political landscape has been rocked by a wave of unrest and protests, predominantly led by the country’s youth. The country’s sole cabinet secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, addressed the volatile situation on Thursday, July 18, acknowledging the government’s mistakes and calling for restraint from younger generations to avoid further unrest.

Speaking at the launch of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Board’s Strategic Plan 2023-27 in Nairobi, Mudavadi urged young Kenyans to adopt a forward-thinking approach in their demonstrations.

His comments come amid nationwide protests against the Kwanza government, which have been ongoing since June 18. Kenya has been in turmoil since demonstrators took to the streets four weeks ago to protest deeply unpopular tax increases.

Despite some concessions by President William Ruto, who has tried to appease the protesters with various measures, the unrest continues. The protests have temporarily subsided since the incidents in late June, in which dozens of people were killed and Parliament was stormed.

However, activists remain steadfast in their demands for President Ruto to step down and are planning further protests under the hashtag “RutoMustGo”.

Ruto has hinted at the formation of a “broad-based” government, sparking media speculation about a possible national unity government with Raila Odinga, the veteran opposition leader whom Ruto narrowly defeated in the 2022 election. This speculation adds another layer of complexity to the already tense political climate.

“We have a country to protect. We have made mistakes along the way. And don’t be fooled, we will make mistakes in the future too,” Mudavadi said emphatically. He added: “As long as you are a human being, you will stumble from time to time.”

Comparing President William Ruto’s administration to previous regimes, Mudavadi said: “Our forefathers were there. They did what they did. You cannot say they did not make mistakes. They did. But they held on to the country.”

He stressed the importance of maintaining national stability despite the government’s mistakes: “We are here today, we will all make mistakes, but the country must not be destroyed by our mistakes, because another generation will come and take power.”

Over the past month, protests, which initially focused on rejecting the country’s 2024 finance bill, have evolved into broader demonstrations against police brutality, corruption and broken political promises. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reports at least 50 dead and 413 injured since the protests began.

Earlier this week, Acting Police Chief Douglas Kanja revealed “credible information” that organised criminal groups were planning to infiltrate and destabilise the protests. Kanja urged protesters to remain peaceful and vigilant and to cooperate with police to ensure collective safety.

Adding to the controversy, President Ruto accused the Ford Foundation of funding the protests. The US-based organisation has vehemently denied these allegations, stating: “We did not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the Finance Bill.”

Mudavadi warned: “If you are between 18 and 20 years old and your country is in chaos, tell me where you will be.”