Former Senate Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio has cautioned President William Ruto’s administration against misreading the silence of Kenya’s youth as contentment, warning that a political storm is quietly brewing beneath the surface.
Speaking during a televised interview on Monday, June 16, 2025, Poghisio said the Kenya Kwanza government had failed to grasp the gravity of the message delivered by Gen Z protesters during the mass demonstrations of June 2024. Those protests, which forced the government to momentarily backtrack on several unpopular policies, were a wake-up call the administration has chosen to ignore, he said.
“Gen Zs may be quiet and silent, but they haven’t forgotten what they demanded,” Poghisio noted.
Nearly a year since the demonstrations, Poghisio expressed deep concern that the core issues raised by the youth, such as extrajudicial killings, abductions, and police brutality, remain unresolved.
“It’s been almost a year, and extrajudicial killings and abductions are still ongoing. Didn’t the government learn anything?” he posed.
He warned that Kenya’s youth, especially Gen Z, are now turning their frustration into a well-organized strategy ahead of the 2027 general election. Rather than marching in the streets, they are quietly mobilizing for a major statement at the ballot box.
“The Gen Z may be quiet, but they are massive and they are determined to vote come 2027,” Poghisio said. “They might not be making noise on the streets anymore, but they are organising, watching, and waiting for their chance to bring change.”
He emphasized that Gen Z is increasingly rejecting outdated tribal politics, choosing instead to focus on meaningful issues such as employment, justice, and leadership accountability.
“This generation doesn’t care about tribal kingpins or old political deals. They want jobs, they want justice, and they want to be heard,” he added.
Poghisio warned that if the Ruto administration continues to brush off their concerns, the youth will use the one tool that truly counts—the vote.
“If Ruto’s government continues to ignore them, they will respond where it hurts the most – at the ballot,” he stressed.
The seasoned politician also criticized Ruto’s allies for dismissing the growing energy within the opposition, noting they may be walking blindly into political defeat.
“The opposition is safeguarding their opportunity to take over power from Ruto. They don’t realize that once they come in, they’ll flip the ‘chapati’ and make it ready,” he said.
