Humble pie: Ichung'wah makes U-turn on Gen Z protesters, praises them as 'progressive'

On Friday during an event in Eladama Lavine in Baringo County, Ichung'wah claimed the group is composed of the elites who use high-end mobile phones and hail online taxis to protests.

"The Gen Z have iPhones and use Ubers to protest. Wanatoka maandamano wanaingia KFC kukula kuku na minofu, maji ni ile ya chup[a...si mliwaona? Hawajui shida stima ni kitu gani...wako na umeme 24/7," he said.

Now reneging on his harshly received comment, the legislator took to Facebook on Sunday praising the same group he mocked.

Toning down on his view towards Gen Zs, Ichung'wah on Sunday commended the generation for what he described as radically eroding the deeply-rooted politics of ethnicity in Kenya.

"The emergence of Gen Z as a force in advocacy and governance has shown a remarkable shift towards unity and inclusivity, transcending ethnic and tribal barriers that have long divided us," he wrote in a social media post.

"This new generation exemplifies a forward-thinking approach, prioritizing common goals and shared values over narrow, divisive identities. It is disappointing to witness some national leaders clinging to outdated notions of tribalism and ethnic division. Our Gen Z clearly demonstrates a more progressive vision for our nation's future, setting an example that all leaders should aspire to follow."

His about-turn comes after President William Ruto praised the efforts shown by youthful protesters to call for change, vowing to welcome their views and make changes where necessary.

"I am very proud of our young people, they have stepped forward tribeless, peacefully and we are going to engage them so that together we can build a greater nation," said Ruto during a Sunday service in Nyahururu.

Nationwide protests against the punitive Finance Bill 2024 attracted international eyeballs last week with many supporting the move to shoot down the Bill.

The protests are set to continue this week until the climax on Thursday where Gen Zs have warned that they will block main roads leading to Nairobi and march to State House under the slogan #OccupyStateHouse. 

A poster widely shared on social platforms revealed that the day will be when President William Ruto is expected to sign the Finance Bill into law, if it sails through parliament, Gen Zs say they will be going to 'witness Ruto sign our lives into slavery'.