Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has welcomed President William Ruto’s recent apology to the youth of Generation Z and all Kenyans affected by the violence that erupted during the 2023 and 2024 anti-government protests. Odinga, speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay County on Sunday, lauded the President’s gesture as a meaningful step towards national reconciliation.
Addressing the crowd, Odinga recalled the turbulent moments of the past two years, when widespread protests gripped the nation due to frustrations over high living costs, governance issues, and perceived lack of responsiveness from the government.
“We have had several challenges. We have had a lot of issues. Two years ago, we were on the streets. And even last year, Gen Zs were on the streets,” Odinga said, referring to the mass mobilizations that involved large numbers of youth expressing discontent with the state of the nation.
President Ruto, during the recent National Prayer Breakfast held at Safari Park Hotel, had issued a public apology acknowledging any shortcomings by the government during the protests. “To our children, if there has been any misstep, we apologize,” Ruto stated, a remark that was seen as an olive branch to the youth.
While Odinga acknowledged the apology, he emphasized that words alone were not enough. He urged the government to go further by offering compensation to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured during the demonstrations.
“During the prayer breakfast this week, there were apologies that were made: the Speaker and yourself, which is wonderful as the first step to reconciliation. But then there is the issue of people who were injured and others who died during that time,” he said.
The ODM leader asserted that justice and healing cannot be achieved without acknowledging the pain and suffering endured by victims and their families. “We should compensate the families of those who died and those who were injured so that we can have a closure of this chapter of our nation’s history,” Odinga stressed.
The call for compensation underscores the need for accountability and national healing as Kenya moves forward from a difficult period of unrest.
