When former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua stepped before the cameras at his Wamunyoro residence and urged young Kenyans to stay away from June 25 commemorations, he may have expected appreciation. Instead, he was met with a wave of rejection from the very generation he was trying to address.
The response exposed a growing trust gap between Gachagua and Kenya’s Gen Z.
For many young Kenyans, the problem is not what Gachagua said. It is who was saying it.
The first challenge is credibility. During the 2024 protests, Gachagua was part of the government that faced intense criticism over its handling of demonstrations. Many young people remember him defending the administration and security agencies when protesters were demanding accountability. Today, when he speaks about protecting youth from violence, critics see a politician whose message conflicts with his own recent history.
Secondly, Gen Z believes leadership is tested during difficult moments, not after they have passed. Many argue that if Gachagua genuinely stood for the rights of young people, he would have spoken more forcefully when protesters were facing arrests, injuries, and alleged abuses. His current position therefore appears, to some, like a convenient political conversion.
The third issue is ownership. The Gen Z movement was deliberately built without political leaders, party bosses, or traditional power brokers. It thrives on the idea that ordinary citizens can organize themselves. Any attempt by politicians to direct, lead, or control the movement is often viewed with suspicion. Gachagua’s advice was therefore interpreted by many as an attempt to insert himself into a space that was never his.
Many young Kenyans also believe that politicians only discover public causes when they become politically useful. This perception has fueled accusations that Gachagua is seeking relevance after leaving office rather than genuinely standing with the youth.
Finally, Gen Z is searching for a different kind of leadership. They are increasingly drawn to leaders who demonstrate consistency, transparency, and accountability. To them, genuine leadership is not about speeches, press conferences, or political positioning. It is about standing for the same principles whether one is in power or out of power.
That is why many young Kenyans rejected Gachagua’s appeal. Their message was simple: trust is earned through actions, not declarations. And for many in Gen Z, Gachagua has yet to earn that trust.
