President William Ruto has called for peace and lawful conduct as thousands of Kenyans took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of the deadly 2024 anti-tax demonstrations.
Speaking at the funeral of Mzee Gideon Baya Mung’aro, father to Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, Ruto urged protesters to remain non-violent despite growing political tensions across the country.
The President denounced acts of looting, vandalism, and public disorder that have accompanied some of the Gen Z-led demonstrations in various towns.
“I’d like to ask, even those with divergent opinions, even at this time of protests, that those demonstrations remain non-violent, devoid of vandalism and not styled to disrupt peace in the country,” said Ruto.
Also Read:
“We have no country to turn to when things get out of hand here. This is our only country. It is our responsibility to maintain peace. Let’s ensure that all our acts are lawful.”
Ruto was joined at the burial service by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who echoed the call for calm but firmly defended the right to protest as enshrined in the Constitution.
Odinga, however, proposed the drafting of a legal framework to guide how demonstrations are conducted, in a bid to prevent loss of life and property.
“We want to enact legislation that will ensure protests don’t turn problematic,” said Odinga.
“We engage in violence, people get brutalised and killed. That is why protests continue to be a challenge in this country.”
Also Read:
While the President used his speech to highlight the Kenya Kwanza government’s development agenda in Kilifi, Raila focused on broader national concerns.
He called for a “national reset”, urging the government to compensate victims of past protests and hold state agencies accountable for any human rights violations.
The ODM leader also criticized what he described as premature 2027 election campaigns, warning that early politicking only serves to raise political tensions and hinder development.
“2027 is ahead of us, but we are still in 2025,” Raila noted.
“We can’t campaign constantly for five years. That hinders development. We must have a moment of calm once elections are done.”
The two leaders’ rare moment of bipartisan unity came against a backdrop of heightened national tension, with protests in multiple counties turning violent and reports of deaths, injuries, and destruction of property surfacing throughout the day.
Mzee Gideon Mung’aro, a respected former senior chief, passed away on June 15 and was laid to rest in Kilifi. His funeral became a stage for Kenya’s top leaders to appeal for peace and unity during one of the most politically charged anniversaries in recent memory.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
