Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Kaluma has asserted that the Gen Z movement is no longer a national or generational agenda.
He claims the movement lost its original purpose after the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024 and has since been taken over by political interests, accusing critics of using the protests to push narrow tribal agendas.
In a statement shared on his X account on Friday, June 27, 2025, Kaluma said critics of President William Ruto’s administration were hiding behind the youth-led demonstrations to advance their own selfish goals.
“(The) Gen Z movement died with the Finance Bill, 2024. The tribalists have continued to call their ethnic goons “Gen Z” to dupe people that their narrow tribal agenda of exclusion is a generational and national cause, which it isn’t,” the lawmaker stated.
He said those opposing the government wanted to enjoy Kenya’s resources alone, and now that President Ruto had formed a broad-based government to include all communities, they were bitter and angry.
Kaluma asserted that what is currently being presented as a youth movement is no longer a national cause but a continuation of tribal politics. He claimed the so-called Gen Z label is now being used by what he described as ethnic goons pretending to be a national youth uprising.
He said, despite attempts to mislead Kenyans, the movement no longer represents the voice of the youth and has instead become a cover for chaos, looting, and destruction. According to Kaluma, the more violence and disorder are witnessed, the more Kenyans will rally behind President Ruto’s leadership for the sake of unity and inclusivity.
The MP insisted that Kenya belongs to all its citizens and warned that Kenyans were no longer easily fooled.
“Well, you can demonstrate, loot, burn, destroy property, and do whatever you want, but remember we are no longer fools. We now know Kenya belongs to all of us—HATUTOKI! The more you cause chaos and anarchy, the more we’ll support the President’s agenda of equity and inclusivity for a stable, united Kenya!” Kaluma added.
Mt Kenya agenda
His remarks come after, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, he dismissed the ongoing Gen Z-led protests as a rebellion against the president by a section of leaders from the Mt. Kenya region.
“Those who still thought Gen Z remains a generational or national movement in Kenya saw the truth yesterday and now know better. It is currently the code name for Mt. Kenya insurrection against President Ruto for creating an equitable and inclusive government,” Kaluma said.
He claimed that what began as a national movement by the youth had been taken over by politicians with ethnic interests. According to Kaluma, this group was now using the protests as a form of insurrection against a government that was finally offering fair representation across all communities.
He argued that while the protest organisers sometimes mention names from other communities like the Luo, Giriama, or Maasai to give the impression of national support, it is merely a tactic to hide the tribal nature of their agenda.
Kaluma distanced the Nyanza region from the protests, saying they had no reason to participate in what he termed a destructive and unnecessary campaign. He praised residents of his region for staying away from the streets, saying they understood the importance of focusing on development after years of marginalisation.
Referring to past protest-related tragedies, Kaluma urged his people not to be lured into violence that would only harm them further.
He said that under President Ruto’s leadership, communities that had long been sidelined were finally being recognised and included in development plans. As such, he said there was no justification for the people of Luo Nyanza to join protests that, in his view, serve no real purpose.
The MP advised his constituents to remain calm and stay off the streets until advised otherwise, saying the region had a chance to rebuild and grow after decades of neglect.
