By Yvonne Idamano
Article 10
What has transpired in the last couple of weeks can only be termed revolutionary—and
astonishingly, no one anticipated it at all. It all unravelled before our eyes, and many still cannot
believe that such an organic movement, led by the least expected people in society, made such an
impact. In case you are still aloof about what I am saying, here is a little recap. About three
weeks ago, youths took to the streets to protest against what they termed the "rejecting finance
bill." It is from these protests that the President later decided not to assent to the bill. Weeks
later, it is evident that the status quo of government operations and the country has changed.
We cannot deny that citizens have decided to take the mantle and hold the government
accountable until its last breath. The weeks following the protests have seen a surge in digital
activism on social media and calls from the common mwananchi on the streets for actions to be
undertaken by the President. Ministries in the government have been hotly pursued, especially
the ministries of health, security, and education. The Cabinet Secretary for Health has been under
pressure from Kenyans to resign, one of her biggest failings being her inability to post medical
interns across the country to various hospitals. Interns have not been posted for a year, a crucial
step in a doctor’s medical journey. The Ministry of Education is also under fire for failing to
employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers under permanent and pensionable terms.
Additionally, the Interior Cabinet Secretary has faced pressure to resign after citizens argued that
he was responsible for the deaths and abductions during the protests. Recently, the President
yielded to the pressure, and, unbelievably, the whole cabinet was dissolved, save for the Deputy
President and the Prime Cabinet Secretary.
There have also been calls to recall MPs who are arrogant or lacking a developmental track
record. The President yielded yet again to citizens' demands and signed the IEBC amendment
bill, which citizens have declared will set the stage for the process of recalling MPs to begin.
Such happenings have shaken the country, if not the whole continent, as they demonstrate the
real meaning behind the phrase, "power belongs to the people."There have also been calls for
dialogue between the youth and the government; however, the youth remain adamant about not
engaging in dialogue, claiming they have nothing to discuss with Parliament and that the
President only needs to streamline his government in the right direction.
These are seemingly interesting times, and we can only wait to see how everything plays out.
What is clear is that the President is treading murky waters; the truth is he either changes or
perishes. The ultimate game changer remains in the ballot: if people can register as voters and
turn out to vote in the next elections, their voices will be heard. The current movement should
remain organic, fearless, and tribeless, just as it started, and it will undoubtedly earn a significant
spot in the country’s history for fighting for economic liberation.
