Ruto's remarks on youth indiscipline elicit uproar among Kenyans

Speaking during the commissioning of the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Kerio Valley campus on Thursday, the president urged parents to instil discipline among their children to enable them to become good citizens of the nation. 

His remarks came at a time when there's been a surge in online activism against the recent wave of abductions, with Kenyans holding the State accountable for the vice.

“Parents must be at the centre, making sure that not only are our children in class but also mentor them so that we can build good character and make sure that they don’t get into bad character with people who want to make our children, citizens that will not be good for our nation," Ruto said. 

Other leaders such as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Mining CS Ali Hassan Joho reiterated Ruto's remarks by calling out the youth for lacking mentorship. 

Speaking on Daybreak on Friday, law student Mohammed Abdulah pointed out that the political class should introspect on their actions before pointing an accusatory finger at others. 

"We don't exist in isolation. The young people are a part of the very same society. They chose to express their dissatisfaction with what the government is doing in a particular manner. It is more indiscipline to be corrupt, abduct young people, and shoot protestors than it is to call out transgressions by the government against the citizens. The choice of activism by young people will not be for the political class to dictate," he remarked. 

His remarks were echoed by National Youth leader Njeri Kahiga who noted that the Kenya Kwanza administration did not have the moral fabric to call out anyone on values. 

"Kindiki, Joho don't have the moral fabric to tell who's disciplined and who's not. We can't get lectures from someone who supervised the murder of young people. We can't take lectures from CS Joho who during Azimio's campaigns, threw all sorts of names to this regime," she noted. 

Both Abdulah and Kahiga noted that the government could not bar the youth from exercising their freedom of speech and appealed to the leaders to turn their attention to fulfilling their campaign promises and bettering the lives of its citizens. 

The government has been on the receiving end of constant criticism from the public who has been keen on the head of state's every move, calling him out for unkempt promises and unpopular policies. 

This proves quite a tall order for the president to navigate as he strives to implement his legacy projects while at the same time restoring public confidence in his administration.