Ruto struggles to win over digital Gen Z amid revolt on social media

Months after an army of young Kenyans organised itself on social media and staged protests at levels never before seen, President William Ruto is still struggling to find out what hit him. 

Used to exchanges on political podiums, a war waged on social media was bound to rattle the Head of State. Dr Ruto had shown good adaptability when he initially decided to meet the agitated Generation Zs on their home turf, social media. 

His first X-Space engagement with a generation that cared little about the titles and powers he held was enough to let Ruto know he did not belong online, and that he was better off fighting his political wars from podiums.

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READ: William Ruto's ruthless efficiency after Gen Z tremors

“Don’t just sit there in fear. Fear is for people like us. You are the ones with the strength to confront these issues and we are behind you,” Uhuru said during the funeral of his cousin Kibathi Muigai.

Ruto is unable to please the youth. He sacked his entire Cabinet in the wake of protests last year but that did not seem to quell the dissent. Many saw his recycling of Cabinet Secretaries as a slap in the face of the protesters who wanted a fresh start. Analysts argued that the President was out of touch with the demands of the youth.

And so calls of “Reject Finance Bill 2024” morphed into “Ruto Must Go”, which have refused to die down. Observers contend that the Gen Zs, who form Kenya’s majority, could influence the 2027 election. They identify themselves as tribe-less and promise a break from political mobilisation along ethnic lines.

Anyone with eyes on the next polls cannot overlook the Gen Zs’ influence. But Ruto must be concerned about his prospects of wooing the youth, who call him names and want the world to know their disdain for their head of state.

The President is expected to host Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in March. Before the royal family lands for their State visit, they will have known what Kenyans think about their host.

Since the visit was announced, Kenyans have written to the royals urging them against coming to Kenya and against associating with Ruto. The Dutch Foreign Ministry said it had received more than 300 emails from Kenyans wanting their Head of State to cancel the trip.

Reports that The Sunday Standard could not independently verify suggest that the International Criminal Court has been spammed by messages calling for the prosecution of government officials over abductions and killings of government critics.

Many Kenyans online have also said they sent messages to the African Union opposing former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the AU Commission chairperson position.

READ: Flying President Ruto held down by Gen Z

Sections have threatened to email Africa heads who will participate in next month’s AUC to urge them against voting for Raila.

In a letter to foreign missions, the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi-led Ministry of Foreign Affairs could not hide its frustration at Raila’s de-campaigning, calling them cyberattacks.

“These actors seek to delegitimise government initiatives, discourage high-level visits, de-campaign Kenya’s candidates for international and regional positions, while sending intimidatory messages to members of the international community,” said the letter by the ministry’s communication team.

Besides that, some tech-savvy youth are testing the limits of their freedom to express themselves and some are sharing AI-generated images of the Head of State in coffins on social media. 

As agents suspected to be from security agencies responded to the young Kenyans through abductions, the President ranted. He termed actions by his detractors “indiscipline” and lashed out at parents for failing to tame their children.

“What has been said about abductions, we will stop them so Kenyan youth can live in peace. But they should have discipline and be polite so that we can build Kenya together,” Ruto said last month.

The anger is shared by allies of Ruto, who spare no chance to rant. Some have seemingly justified the abductions of government critics and urged the Head of State to deal with the critics firmly.

Rattled, the government is exploring measures to gag social media users. On Thursday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo asked social media companies to establish physical addresses in Kenya to enhance monitoring of social media users.

The government wants access to snoop on social media users, a subject that has sparked controversy before over its alleged infringement on privacy rights.

“The growing trend of individuals misusing social media and disregarding the boundaries of free speech, requires urgent action,” said Omollo.

The subject featured heavily during the vetting of Cabinet Secretaries last week. ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo said he would engage the youth on social media.

“We should be thinking about engaging the younger generation, the Gen Zs and millennials, on how to have ethical use of the Internet space. Today they may be Gen Zs, but in a couple of years, they will be fathers, and the engagement should be such that if you put Kabogo in a coffin, as is the case now, but one time they will be fathers like me, how would they feel when their father is put in a coffin?” Kabogo said.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi recently hinted at sterner action against such persons.

“As a parent, if you fail to discipline your child, the universe will not. If the universe catches up to them, don’t be the first to scream out,” he said about a fortnight ago.

Noticing the adverse reaction by the State, Ruto’s young detractors have stepped up a gear, doing what they refer to as “injecting”.

Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi argued that the Head of State’s anger was somewhat justifiable.

ALSO READ: Ruto's diplomatic challenges post Gen Z protests

“The youth on social media can get beyond the principles of criticism and resort instead to personal attacks. I remember my first term in Parliament, and even now, I am still a victim of social media attacks and cybercrime,” said Amisi, who said the President should, however, be more measured.

“He is human and he can get angry. The issue is how he reacts and behaves in response as a leader of the nation. As a father of the nation, he should call the youths and explain to them his actions. Most of the time you find they will understand. People often attack politicians because they can’t reach them,” he added.

Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi concurred, saying Ruto needs to question why Kenyans are angry with his government.

“The youth are more interested in holding the President to account. He should, therefore, embrace dialogue and explain to Kenyans where the country is,” said Mwangangi, adding the Head of State should tame abductions.

“Was abducting and killing critics part of the Kenya Kwanza manifesto? No. Ruto’s actions must reflect his policies and promises as he protects life and property, which is his constitutional mandate. He should also rope in the mama mboga that he said his government would defend,” Mwangangi said.

University professor of leadership and management Gitile Naituli said the President’s anger was “a sign of weakness”.

He said the President needed a break to reset his government by “sacking the entire Cabinet” and picking a team of professionals.

“Let the new ministers come with their own policy statements and deal with the software issues arising. In that way, he will show the youth that he knows what they want,” added Naituli.