Protests
A section of leaders from Embu County have called for an immediate cessation of any further anti-government protests to save the country from sinking into full-blown civil war.
They said what started as genuine and peaceful protests by the young people demanding good governance had metamorphosed into chaos and anarchy leading to loss of lives and destruction of property. Former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti and Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku said the protest had been infiltrated by goons, who have been engaging in wanton looting and destruction of property.
They said the unfolding events have given a clear indication that the criminal elements had hijacked a genuine clamor for good and accountable leadership in the government by the Gen Z. Kivuti said the happenings were now threatening the political and economic stability of the country and should the situation escalate further, the state faces the threat of imminent collapse.
Speaking during the marking of 25th Anniversary of St. Jude ACK Gitii Secondary School in Mbeere North Constituency, Kivuti said we should not allow the country to sink into full-blown civil war. “We cannot afford to lose Kenya, there are five countries in Africa that have been involved in such riots and some have ended up collapsing like Sudan,” he said.
He said the Gen Z call for reform was good and the government should give an ear to their demands, but at the same time deal with pockets of individuals taking advantage of the opportunity to perpetuate acts of criminality. On his part, Ruku said looting and destruction of property witnessed in the ongoing protests was unacceptable and the government must decisively deal with the perpetrators.
“What we have recently witnessed in various parts of the country are not peaceful demonstrations, picketing or presentation of petitions to authorities, but has aspects of lawlessness,” the MP said. He added,” we cannot create a culture of destroying property and lives in the name of demonstrations, that is not what our constitution says.”