Fight for Your Rights: A Statement Made at the Altar of Political Expediency

The other day, former President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, in a rare public appearance, urged Kenyan youths to rise and fight for their rights and their future. On the surface, this might appear as a patriotic rallying cry — an elder statesman imploring the next generation to reclaim their destiny from the clutches of corruption and misgovernance. However, beneath the veneer of his noble rhetoric lies a rich stew of irony and political posturing.

Let us, for a moment, consider this advice in isolation. Indeed, fighting for one’s rights is not only a moral obligation but also a fundamental necessity in any democracy worth its salt. Kenya, like many other nations, has witnessed an erosion of the rule of law, rampant economic mismanagement, and the unrelenting looting of public coffers. If the youths do not rise, who will? Yet, when the messenger of this call is none other than Uhuru Kenyatta — whose decade-long presidency bears the indelible scars of exactly these maladies — one cannot help but raise an eyebrow.

The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

To understand the irony of Uhuru’s statement, we must take a retrospective glance at his tenure as President. Ascending to power in 2013, his administration was expected to breathe life into the new constitutional dispensation heralded by the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Instead, it became a theater of broken promises. Economic growth was stifled by mounting corruption scandals, the rule of law was flagrantly undermined, and dissenting voices were systematically muzzled.

Who can forget the infamous NYS scandal, where Ksh. 792 million vanished into thin air, or the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandals, involving a staggering Ksh. 63 billion? And then there’s the Eurobond saga, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) debacle, and the 2018 media blackout that saw all major TV stations go dark. Uhuru’s administration did not merely stumble — it actively participated in sabotaging the hopes of millions of Kenyans who expected transformative leadership.

It is, therefore, laughable to hear Uhuru call for a defense of rights and resources when his own regime planted the very seeds of the chaos and economic ruin that Kenyans now endure. The burgeoning debt that has crippled the economy, forcing ordinary citizens to shoulder exorbitant taxes and skyrocketing prices, is a legacy that his administration enthusiastically cultivated.

The Gospel of Convenience

Even more intriguing is the timing of Uhuru’s statement. Delivered just days after President William Ruto visited him at his Gatundu home and coinciding with the swearing-in of three of his allies into Ruto’s Cabinet, it reeks of political expediency. One might wonder whether his sudden moral awakening is an attempt to shield himself from the wrath of a restless populace or to subtly distance himself from a regime that is faltering under the weight of its own promises.

Kenyan politics, after all, is notorious for its culture of amnesia and reinvention. Politicians have mastered the art of saying exactly what the public wants to hear, conveniently forgetting their own transgressions. It is a game of smoke and mirrors, where accountability is an alien concept, and loyalty is as transient as the morning dew.

Uhuru is not alone in this theater of absurdity. His successor, President Ruto, has taken the baton and sprinted in the same direction.

Ruto’s administration has failed spectacularly to deliver on its promises, instead dedicating its energy to blame games and grandstanding. The so-called “bottom-up” economic model has proven to be little more than a mirage, leaving millions disillusioned.

What Should the Youth Do?

If there is a silver lining to this circus, it is the resilience of the Kenyan youth. While the political class and its enablers continue to insult their intelligence, the youth must rise above the noise. They must recognize that the fight for their rights is not a favor bestowed upon them by the likes of Uhuru or Ruto but a struggle that belongs to them and them alone.

Fighting for one’s rights means holding every leader — past and present — accountable. It means rejecting the recycled rhetoric of opportunistic politicians who speak out of both sides of their mouths. It means mobilizing at the grassroots level, building coalitions that transcend ethnic and political divisions, and demanding transparency, justice, and equity.

The Temple of Political Expediency

Uhuru’s statement, delivered at the altar of political expediency, serves as a stark reminder of the duplicity that defines Kenyan politics. It is a call to action — not because of its content, but despite it. The youth must heed his words, not as an endorsement of his hypocrisy, but as a challenge to dismantle the very systems he and his peers have upheld.

In the end, the fight for rights and a better future will not be won in the hollow speeches of former presidents or the misleading headlines of a compromised media. It will be won in the streets, in the courts, and in the hearts and minds of ordinary Kenyans who dare to dream of a brighter tomorrow.