Lawyer Wahome Thuku has questioned the potential impact of protests if President William Ruto manipulates the 2027 general election.
Speaking on social media, he argued that even large-scale demonstrations would collapse quickly without a strong opposition leader to coordinate them.
Thuku suggested that while unrest could mirror the youth-led protests in Tanzania, Kenya’s political landscape is different.
“They will end faster than how they will start,” he noted, describing any nationwide mobilization as likely to fizzle without a presidential runner-up to unite the masses.
According to Thuku, a successful protest movement requires leadership from the candidate who was narrowly defeated in the elections.
Using Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka as an example, he expressed doubt over the opposition’s ability to galvanize the public.
“If he is rigged out, do you see Kalonzo leading nationwide demonstrations to block William from a second term? Zero,” he stated.
The lawyer also addressed expectations that Kenya’s Generation Z could spearhead leaderless protests.
He cast doubt on this scenario, adding a humorous local reference: “If you expect Gen Zs to be the ones to do it ‘leaderlessly’… Oyai mashembe mûkarîme."
Thuku’s post comes at a time when regional youth-led demonstrations have captured attention, highlighting the growing role of young people in East African politics.
His analysis raises questions about whether Kenyan politics is prepared for sustained citizen-led activism in the absence of a prominent opposition leader.
0 Comments