Kenya is on a wave of protests. These protests should serve to remind the world of the country’s harsher past under the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi. Citizens are flooding into the streets, their chants ringing with a palpable anger. Civil resistance for a political vacuum. Though they are indeed protesting the current government, these people are challenging a historical legacy that most see as impeding honest democratic progress. These protests, characterized by slogans such as “Ruto must go” and “Yote yawezekana bila Moi” (All is possible without Moi), represent a resurgence of the reform movements from the 1990s, a time when Kenyans fought against oppression and for their rights.
His successor, Daniel arap Moi, ruled Kenya from 1978 to 2002, brutalizing and repressing his people, while promoting his own corrupt regime. His military regime soon became infamous for the abduction, torture, and murder of protesters that had the nerve to raise their voices in dissent. Opponents to the government were charged time and time again with trumped up charges, frequently called “terrorists” during his time in power. This climate of fear crushed all substantial political dissent and fostered a rabid atmosphere where reform was centrally and methodically blocked.
When Moi eventually left office in 2002, Kenya was treating themselves to a big slice of freedom pie. The shadow of his administration’s legacy continued to hang over every administration that came after. Mwai Kibaki, Moi’s successor, was heralded at first as a reformist leader. Almost immediately, his government backtracked on several of those hard-won gains, provoking doubts about how deep Kenya’s democratic progress really runs.
Yet Kibaki’s administration was rightly viewed as having a consistently negative legacy of blocking constitutional reform efforts and attacking press freedom. When newsrooms were raided and dissenters were silenced, it reminded many Kenyans of the brutal tactics used to suppress freedoms during Moi’s regime. In 2007, when a highly contested election led Kenya to the verge of civil war. This crisis further entrenched the idea that Moi’s legacy of obstruction still ruled the day when it came to Kenyan politics.
It was nearly a decade after Moi left before Kenyans were finally able to write a new constitution that was approved. This campaign illustrated the power of a community’s will to fight back and find their lost democratic voice. Former minister John Michuki, part of Moi’s inner circle, insisted on a constitutional amendment that spread power among members of his inner circle. This exemplifies an insidious precedent of patrimonialism that continues to wreak havoc on Kenyan politics today.
The present Generation Z campaign is, I think, a reincarnation of the reform battles of the 1990s. Young Kenyans are drawing parallels between their fight for democracy and the resistance faced by their predecessors during Moi’s regime. The protests have become a platform for expressing collective grievances against the ruling government, with slogans resonating deeply with the historical context of resistance.
For Egerton University’s students, these chants were a daily reminder of Kenya’s past struggles and hopes for a better future. “Ruto must go” has become a rallying cry. It captures the atmosphere of increasing frustration with President William Ruto’s presidency. Just as many protesters today believe that the systemic failings that began rampant during Moi’s reign still plague their political landscape.
“What is going on in these streets, people think is fashionable. They take selfies and post on social media. But I want to tell you, if we continue this way, … we will not have a country.” – Ruto
Ruto’s remarks recognize the multifaceted nature of the protests that, to some, could be seen as just a moment or fancy buzzword. For many participants, this movement is about reclaiming power and ensuring that the sacrifices made by previous generations are not forgotten or rendered meaningless.
As Kenyans continue to voice their frustrations in the streets, they invoke slogans like “I Am Unbwogable! (I Am Unshakable and Indomitable!)” to emphasize their resolve. This one little phrase really sums up the spirit of the protesters’ resolve. What’s more, they will not be stifled by past wrongs or present political inaction.
