Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi/HANDOUT

The government should urgently keep the promises made during a meeting with Gen Zs after their deadly protests last year to ease the political tension in the country, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has said.

Osotsi said there is no need for another national dialogue between the government and youth, since earlier agreements have not been implemented.

“The government should give a report card on the progress so far made towards implementing the resolutions reached during the meeting. The county is bleeding – let us not be the generation that stood by while our nation went to the dogs,” he said during a service at the Kenya Israel Church in Ebwiranyi, Luanda subcounty on Saturday.

“The President had a meeting with the Gen Zs and agreed on some resolutions. Even us, as senators, took two weeks debating the demands by the youths and made recommendations but nothing has happened.” 

Osotsi said this is not the time for pride or politics, chest-thumping or issuing threats, but confronting the problem head-on because no one is safe, whether in government or the opposition.

“This is not a time for humility, for service and for bold, compassionate leadership,” he said, in reference to the controversial remarks by Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen who reportedly instructed police to “shoot at protesters”.

Osotsi warned the government against heavy-handed tactics in dealing with the situation.

The frustrations expressed by the youth, largely driven by economic hardship, unemployment and perceived systemic neglect, are legitimate and must be addressed with urgency and sincerity.

The country is at a crossroads following waves of unrest and youth-led demonstrations that have rocked major towns across the country, leading to destruction of property and deaths.

Osotsi said the government should also implement recommendations in other stakeholder reports on demands by the youths, including the agreement signed between UDA and ODM that resulted in the broad-based government.

The ten-point agenda that formed the basis of the MoU between the two parties entail all issues the Gen Zs have been agitating for, he added.

“The unfortunate thing is that no one in government is talking about the MoU. It’s only us in ODM that are talking about it and it appears the government only signed it for the sake of cameras,” he said.

“Agreements made in the public interest must be upheld with integrity. We cannot only blame the youth because they have a right to ask when things not seem to work right but the government must also play its part of listening to them.” 

He warned that if not arrested in time, the situation will mutate into “gangsterism” like that in Haiti.