President William Ruto’s recent apology to the Gen Z generation may not bring the results he hoped for. Many young people have grown tired of his words and believe they are full of lies. His repeated promises and speeches no longer move them.
According to a growing number of Kenyans online, the president has lost credibility, especially among the youth, who now see his statements as meaningless. What makes things worse is that opposition leaders like former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua, and others are also calling out the president.
They say that if the president is not flying out of the country, then he is lying to the people. These accusations have led to nicknames like “Kaongo,” mocking his style of leadership.The timing of the president’s apology also adds more tension. Many young Kenyans had hoped to get jobs abroad as promised by the government. Some have spent a lot of time and money preparing to leave the country.
They have gone through training, paperwork, and other costly steps. Now, many of them feel like they have been conned because the promised jobs are taking too long to come through. Social media platforms have been flooded with complaints and videos from frustrated youths, and mainstream media like Citizen TV has picked up the matter.
The noise became so loud that the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Alfred Mutua, had to step in and explain what is going on. But his words have done little to calm the situation.
Despite their anger, some Gen Zs say they are ready to forgive President Ruto on one condition. He must stop talking and start acting. They want him to address the unemployment crisis, end the mysterious abductions and killings, and show real action instead of giving empty speeches.
Many youths have expressed that they are not against apologies, but they want results. They have warned the president that even if they accept his apology, they will not forget the struggles they’ve gone through.
The current state of unrest among Gen Zs is due to many issues they feel the government is ignoring. These include poor living conditions, police brutality, rising costs of living, and a lack of job opportunities.
They believe the regime is not serious about addressing their real concerns. Unless something changes soon, the apology will be seen as just another PR stunt. Interviews conducted by media houses and content creators show a clear message from the youth, they are tired of being taken for granted. The apology will only be meaningful if President Ruto delivers on his promises. Without that, the trust is broken, and words will not be enough to fix it.
