The State must urgently dialogue with the people
A group of protesters march on Buxton Road in Mombasa during the commemoration of victims of police brutality during the June 2024 protests.
What you need to know:
- What the State, however, failed to ask is the grievances of the protesters.
- The leaders’ aloofness is exemplified with the obsession with fundraisers.
On 25th June 2025, Kenyans thronged the streets to commemorate one year anniversary since last year’s protests and to remember those who lost their lives during those demonstrations. As expected, the protests were met with heavy-handedness from the government that labelled the demonstrators as anarchists.
What the State, however, failed to ask is the grievances of the protesters. Perhaps had those issues been addressed in the past one year, this year’s commemoration would not have been an agitation against the government.
Article 1 of the Constitution bestows sovereignty upon the people. The people may exercise that sovereignty directly or through their democratically elected representatives. That direct exercise of sovereignty is not only in the ballot but also through people expressing their voices during peaceful demonstrations as outlined in Article 37 of the Constitution.
Additionally, Article 10 sets out the values and principles of governance which include public participation. The drafters of the Constitution intended that the people would be involved at every stage of the governance process. The constant reminder by the ruling class that if people have any grievance they should wait for the next election goes against the spirit of the Constitution and the social contract between the government and the people.
Obsession with fundraisers
The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued that government is based on a social contract where the people give up some freedoms to the State in exchange for order and security. It is expected that the State will always act in the best interests of the people. It is on this basis that people pay taxes. When the taxes are not used in an accountable manner, the social contract is breached.
The high-level of unemployment has led to anger and disillusionment by young people. According to the 2019 census, 75 per cent of Kenyans were below the age of 35 years while 29 per cent of the population was between the ages of 18 and 34. From government statistics, in 2024 the rate of youth unemployment was 11.9 per cent. Even of those employed, many are in jobs that do not align with their skills and are underpaid.
According to the World Bank about 75 per cent of Kenyans below the age of 35 face challenges in getting meaningful job opportunities. The irony is that as these young people languish in joblessness, the government continues to engage in wastage. According to reports from the Auditor-General and Controller of Budget, about one third of Kenya’s budget is lost to corruption.
Economic challenges are not unique to Kenya but are currently felt across the globe. The government, however, continues to shoot itself in the foot by failing to have honest conversations with the people instead offering lofty promises. The leaders’ aloofness is exemplified with the obsession with fundraisers where they give mind-boggling donations while the people languish in poverty. The leaders fail to realise that the youth are not excited by harambees but instead seek sustainable solutions such as job creation.
The writer is an Advocate of the High Court and a Governance Expert. Email: [email protected]