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On July 29, 2024, Kapsaret Member of Parliament (MP) Oscar Sudi publicly criticized lawyer and political activist Miguna Miguna for supporting protests led by Generation Z in Kenya.
Sudi used social media to voice his frustration, accusing Miguna of inciting young people to continue their demonstrations and failing to understand the country’s real issues.
In recent months, Kenya has seen a series of protests primarily driven by Generation Z, young people born in the late 1990s to early 2010s.
These protests have focused on various issues, including unemployment, corruption, and poor governance.
Initially, many political leaders, including Oscar Sudi, showed some level of support for the protests, recognizing the legitimate concerns raised by the youth.
Oscar Sudi initially sympathized with the Gen Z protests. He acknowledged the young generation’s frustrations and the need for demonstrations to bring attention to their concerns.
However, Sudi’s perspective changed dramatically when he noticed the protests becoming increasingly chaotic and infiltrated by what he termed as “disruptive elements.” According to Sudi, these elements were causing violence and instability rather than constructive change.
Sudi took to social media to express his changed views. In his posts, he accused Miguna Miguna of misleading the youth and supporting a movement that, in his opinion, had lost its original purpose.
Sudi argued that Miguna’s backing of the protests was not about addressing the real issues but rather a strategy to gain political attention and remain relevant in the political arena.
Oscar Sudi’s critique of Miguna Miguna was harsh. He claimed that Miguna did not grasp the true problems facing Kenya and was instead fueling unrest among the youth.
Sudi suggested that Miguna’s support for the protests was misguided and harmful. He believed that the protests, in their current form, were more about creating chaos than achieving meaningful change.
“Do you want our country to be burnt to the ground? Do you want people's lives to be destroyed?” Sudi questioned in his social media posts.
He accused Miguna of endorsing poverty among the youth by supporting demonstrations that had become violent and destructive.
Sudi also brought up his role in facilitating Miguna Miguna’s return to Kenya. Miguna had been deported to Canada during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime due to his involvement in political activities that the government deemed illegal.
Sudi claimed that he had supported Miguna’s return, believing in his potential to contribute positively to the country. However, he expressed deep disappointment in Miguna’s actions since his return.
“You're a letdown as a parent. How can you fuel our young generation? This is our country,” Sudi stated, reflecting his frustration and sense of betrayal.
He urged Miguna to rethink his approach and consider the long-term impact of his actions on the country’s youth.
In his critique, Sudi also made comparisons between Kenya and other African nations. He argued that Kenya was ahead of many other countries in the continent in terms of development and stability.
Sudi suggested that those who doubted this should visit some West African nations to see the difference for themselves.
His point was to emphasize that despite its challenges, Kenya had made significant progress, and actions that threatened to destabilize the country were counterproductive.
Oscar Sudi’s criticism of Miguna Miguna and the Gen Z protests comes at a time when Kenya is grappling with various socio-economic issues.
The country is facing high unemployment rates, especially among the youth, widespread corruption, and political instability. These issues have fueled frustration and anger among the young generation, leading to the recent wave of protests.
The Kenyan government, led by President William Ruto, has had a mixed response to the protests. While acknowledging some of the concerns raised by the youth, the government has also taken a firm stance against violent demonstrations.
President Ruto has emphasized the importance of maintaining order and stability, even suggesting at one point that the government had the capability to shut down the internet and media during protests to curb unrest.
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