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Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has challenged President William Ruto to take tangible action if his apology to the youth is truly heartfelt.
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Maanzo said Ruto should cover the medical expenses of young people injured during the 2024 anti-tax demonstrations to demonstrate genuine remorse.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Thursday, Maanzo dismissed the president’s remarks during Wednesday’s national prayer breakfast as insufficient, arguing that many young protestors were either left with life-altering injuries, remain unaccounted for, or lost their lives—without any support from the state.
“There are about 600 bodies of young people at City Mortuary linked to that period. At Kenyatta Hospital, some are suffering from spinal injuries and gunshot wounds. These are the people the president should be addressing directly,” he said.
Maanzo added that, rather than proceeding with his development tour in Homa Bay, President Ruto should have instead visited victims at Kenyatta Hospital and families at City Mortuary, offered them an apology in person, and mobilised government resources to help them.
He also urged the president to meet the family of Rex Masai—one of the young men allegedly killed by police during the protests—and engage with others who lost their loved ones.
“If the apology is to be meaningful, it must go further than words,” Maanzo insisted. “He should reach out personally, especially to those still grieving, and offer compensation as a step towards reconciliation.”
President Ruto’s apology, made as part of his message that Kenya is on a path of renewal, was directed at the youth—who have had a tense relationship with his administration since the 2024 protests.
“To our children, if there were any missteps, we apologize. We want to build a relationship that will strengthen our nation,” Ruto said.
However, Maanzo noted that many incidents of violence and assault during the 2024 protests remain unresolved, making the apology feel incomplete without further action.
