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Faced with growing opposition from the Generation Z protestors over poor governance at the county level, besieged governors are now struggling to win over the youngsters’ support to thwart further hostilities.

Kakamega governor Fernandes Barasa (pictured) and his Nyamira counterpart Amos Nyaribo have invited the Gen-Z protestors for talks with a view to addressing their grievances.

Last week, Bungoma governor Kenneth Lusaka invited the Gen-Z members in the county for a conversation at which they raised their concerns. Speaking in Nyamira at the weekend, Nyaribo extended an olive branch to the protestors, saying he was ready to meet them and listen to their grievances

. “I am ready to meet with the Gen-Z so that I can listen to their issues, discuss with them and finally find a lasting solution,” said the governor.

He apologised to the youth for failing to meet them last week when they stormed his office to raise their grievances with him, saying he was out of the country on official duty.

He asked them to visit him at his office in Nyamira town on Wednesday for the meeting.

 “I hope the Gen-Z could honour my invitation and I want to assure them in advance that their grievances will be implemented,” he added.

On Tuesday last week, over 800 youthful protestors held a demonstration in Nyamira town denouncing Nyaribo’s leadership and that of   the county Assembly Speaker Enock Okero. The Gen-Z who were led by Sammy Charama accused Nyaribo and Okero of abetting corruption, nepotism and clannism in their respective institutions and demanded their immediate resignation.

Address grievances

Barasa separately also invited the Gen-Zs for dialogue with a view to addressing their grievances

Barasa told teachers at a KNUT general meeting in Shinyalu that he is open to dialogue with the Gen Z and had scheduled a meeting with them today.

He did not however state the venue of the meeting, only insisting that their views may help shape the structure and productivity of his administration.

But his olive branch to the youths was immediately admonished by Kakamega Woman MP Elsie Muhanda who arrived at the venue shortly after Barasa left.

Terming the governor’s invitation to the youths as opportunistic and hypocritical, Muhanda claimed Barasa was keen on a physical meeting in order to identify the key players for either intimidation or bribery and urged the youths to shun him. 

“Even President William Ruto was humble enough to get into their space. But here we have a leader who asks you for a meeting under his conditions.”

Muhanda described Barasa as a hypocrite, referring to last week’s protests which saw goons clash with protesters.  “Your office was used to hire and arm goons with clubs and batons to harm young protesters and now suddenly you pretend to be Godsend, seeking talks with our children. You’re indeed a shameless turncoat,” said Muhanda.

On Tuesday last week, a section of youths were seen filing out of the Kakamega county government headquarters armed with clubs and batons to counter the Gen Z youth protests.

– Stories by Evans Nyakundi, Douglas Dindi and Yusuf Masibo