Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo believes that the only genuine apology President William Ruto can tender to the Kenyan youth is if he recompenses those recuperating from the aftermath of the anti-tax protests in 2024.

According to Maanzo, the apology President Ruto gave on Wednesday at the national prayer breakfast does not hold water to mend the dejection of affected Kenyans.

He said that the Finance Bill 2024 protests left many young people with permanent injuries, others still missing and many parents have buried their children, while the government has not made any financial reparations to them.

"There are about 600 bodies at the city mortuary of young people who were known from that time. If you go to Kenyatta Hospital, there are those who have spinal injuries and bullet wounds. There are many children there suffering," he told Citizen TV on Thursday.

"Those are the people who the president should be apologizing to. If I were the president, instead of going to Kisumu today, I would go to Kenyatta Hospital and apologize to those Gen Zs, settle their hospital bills, go to City Mortuary and mobilize the whole state machinery and make announcements that those parents whose children are still missing."

He was referring to President Ruto's Homa Bay tour ahead of the Madaraka Day set to be held on Sunday at the Raila Odinga Stadium.

Senator Maanzo added that Ruto should visit Rex Masai's mother and those allegedly shot dead by police officers, saying that Ruto should make an effort to further talk to affected families.

"If an apology has to be the president should take time. After yesterday's apology he needs to go further," he said.

"If somebody seeks an apology he should be forgiven by those feeling offended like Rex's mother. I don't think an apology has been tendered to her and then if you compensate them, you're beginning to show reconciliation."

President Ruto's apology to the youth, who have maintained a sour relationship with his administration since the protests, came as he said that Kenya is on a path of "rising and rebuilding".

"To our children if there is any misstep, we apologize. We want to build a relationship that will make our country great," Ruto stated.

Assault cases witnessed in the 2024 anti-tax protests have remained unresolved.