In crisis, a nation can easily twist sharply or even meander towards constitutionalism, authoritarianism or anarchy. While the dissolution of President Ruto’s cabinet plunged the Kenya state into further uncertainty, the mood of the population remains surprising calm and, in several quarters, triumphant.
What began as a tax revolt has turned into an accountability movement rooted in Article 1. Under public pressure, the Presidency has rejected the 2024 Taxation Bill, suspended the appointments of cabinet administrative secretaries, halved the number of cabinet advisors, defunded the offices of the first and second ladies, and the spouse of the prime cabinet secretary before dissolving his entire cabinet on Wednesday.
Kenya Kwanza came to power with a very narrow mandate of less than 300,000 votes more than their rivals. Three million eligible Gen Z on the other hand, chose not to cast their ballots. They were neither interested in bribes for votes, inspired by the candidates or confident of the electoral process. While the economic ground has become much harder, the opulence of those elected has grown in the same measure. While the youth in the informal settlements and middle-class neighborhoods may have found a common language and courage to challenge both economic distress and opulence, Kenya Kwanza has also lost the confidence of the middle class.
From a silent and often scared political demographic, this class has risen to morally encourage, empower and finance their adult children to act both on and offline. From being worried about their children protesting in the streets, parents are now swopping stories and snaps of them with pride. The last four weeks has severely damaged the culture of patronage, privilege and power that had been carefully constructed since the 2022 elections.
If the first liberation was independence, the second, multi-partyism, the third liberation finds full expression in the opportunity to restore our constitutional values of leadership integrity, democracy, economic opportunity and equality under the law. This is the constitutional moment that we must not squander now.
Denzel Washington’s wise words, that it is in our moment of victory that the devil comes for us, applies here also. Let those that have courageously and collectively created this moment must resist the temptation to gloat or go back to sleep. The issues raised by the protest movement are systemic. We must sustain the patriotism, constitutionalism and policy focus that was so powerful this last month. Only by coming to the table with budgeting priorities, will Kenyans consolidate the victory against the 2024 taxation bill. Only by demanding the overhaul of the policing sector will we honor those martyred by the unlawful violence in 2017, 2023 and 2024.
We must specifically seek accountability, justice and compensation for all the fallen and the hurt. We must demand the release of all abductees and an end to all abductions. This national “inflection moment” must come with justice for the first to be killed Rex Masai, the first to be abducted Bill “CrazyNairobian” Simani, the youngest of the protesters Kennedy Onyango (12), and all whose rights have been so directly violated.
Those that came in the night with masked faces and military grade weapons to arrest fellow Kenyans must be held accountable. The credibility of the police services is now at rock bottom and another round of reforms and new leadership is now urgent. Given our limited fiscal resources, no further shilling should be spent unconstitutionally or for the comfort and convenience of state officers.
The week closed with a thought for me. Have you ever seen so many Kenyan flags outside of a stadium? Over the last month, we have worn, waved and even buried Kenyans wrapped in flags. May state officers always remember they govern by consent not coercion. May citizens feel invigorated by the power and responsibility that has been restored to them. If this happens, this constitutional moment may just restore faith in the executive and parliament after weeks of daily criticism and protest
This opinion was also published in the Saturday Standard, 13 July 2024.
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