NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto’s public apology to Kenya’s Gen Z, following their clashes with authorities during the 2024 anti-government protests, has ignited a political debate, with politicians divided on its sincerity and efficacy.
On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, President Ruto sought forgiveness from the youth, signaling a conciliatory approach as the 2027 elections loom. With Kenya’s youth expected to constitute over half of the electorate in the upcoming polls, political factions are actively vying for their support.
Speaking at an event at the Safari Park Hotel, the President emphasized the importance of national unity, stating, “Where there is unity, God commands a blessing.”
He directly addressed the youth, popularly known as Gen Z, who have presented a significant challenge to his administration, saying, “To our children, if there has been any misstep, we apologise.”
Former West Pokot Senator Samwel Poghisio, appearing on Citizen TV on Thursday, May 29, 2025, praised the President’s apology, acknowledging it as a display of humility. “I believe that if a man can go on public television during a prayer breakfast and say ‘I am sorry,’ that is a show of humility,” Poghisio said.
When questioned about the potential for the President to renege on his apology, Poghisio stated, “If I wrong you and say sorry, then wrong you again, it means I wasn’t genuine.” He urged Kenyans to extend the President the benefit of the doubt and allow for reconciliation.
However, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo argued that the President’s apology should be accompanied by tangible actions, including a reconciliation program for the affected youth and families, possibly with compensation.
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“If the President is truly apologetic to the young people, he should go to Kenyatta Hospital, apologise to them in person, and settle their bills,” Maanzo said during the same television program.
He emphasized that the apology was a crucial first step in acknowledging the mistakes made during the Gen Z demonstrations.
“If I were the President, I would go to Kenyatta Hospital today and mobilise state machinery to take my apology to the next level by visiting the victims in hospital and even at the mortuary,” he stated.
Conversely, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah dismissed the apology outright, asserting that the youth would not accept it.
“They want us to forgive and forget—we are neither forgiving nor forgetting. They should know the apology is rejected,” he wrote on his X page.
