Eldoret City remained calm on Monday despite fears of renewed Gen Z-led protests, with university student leaders and community elders calling for restraint and peaceful engagement.
Most businesses in the city’s central business district operated normally, as security personnel were strategically deployed across Uasin Gishu County to ensure public safety. County Commissioner Edisson Nyale confirmed that additional officers from neighbouring regions had been brought in to reinforce security and maintain law and order.
Student leaders from the University of Eldoret and Moi University distanced themselves from the protests, advising their peers to stay away and focus on their academic programs. Collins Kimutai, president of the University of Eldoret Students Association, urged students to honour past victims of protest violence by choosing safety over confrontation.
“We stand in solidarity with those we lost last year due to the Gen Z protests, but the best way to honour their memory is by staying safe and not by adding more names to the list,” Kimutai said.
Moi University Students President Chonjela Peter echoed similar sentiments, stating that while youth concerns on accountability and empowerment are valid, a different approach is needed at this time. “The realities on the ground call for a shift in strategy,” he said.
Community elders also joined the call for calm, urging the youth to embrace peace and dialogue instead of street demonstrations. The Luo Council of Elders, led by Chairman Dr. Charles Ongiya and Vice Chairman Mark Orinda, emphasized unity and national cohesion.
“Uasin Gishu is a cosmopolitan county and home to President Ruto. We must lead by example in promoting peace,” said Ongiya. Orinda added that protests were no longer producing meaningful results and were instead worsening the economic hardships of the very youth involved.
The elders pledged to collaborate with other communities to raise awareness about the importance of national unity and economic empowerment. A regional inter-community meeting is expected soon to explore long-term peace initiatives.
The calm in Eldoret reflects a growing shift among young people and community leaders toward non-violent means of engagement, even as national conversations around youth grievances continue to unfold.
