13/07/2025
Babu Owino's full speech today at the 4th Cohort Graduation Ceremony in Murang’a County, under the Murang’a Youth Service program.
Bless you, Mr. President — His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto.
The main reason you sought power, the main reason you were voted in, was not to make yourself a better person, but to make this country better. You were not elected to uplift yourself — you were elected to uplift lives.
Mr. President, if you issue instructions for people to be shot in the legs, remember this: Rex Masai was shot in the leg — and he bled to death. If you kill everyone, who will be left for you to govern?
You must understand: Presidents come and go, but the nation remains.
We had our first President, Jomo Kenyatta — he came and went.
Our second, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi — he came and left.
Third, Mwai Kibaki — came and left.
Fourth, Uhuru Kenyatta — came and left.
You, Mr. President, are the fifth. You came, and you too shall leave.
So leave this country a better nation — not a bitter one.
We cannot destroy the future of this nation.
We cannot kill the Gen Zs — whose only "crime" is demanding jobs, demanding affordable education.
These parents you see here are struggling — then you go ahead and set university fees at KSh 100,000, 300,000, 600,000 for medical students. How do you expect them to educate their children — the very children who are supposed to help them in the future?
But when they speak up, you become bitter?
Mr. President, be better — don’t be bitter.
The only mistake of Gen Z is to demand a lower cost of living, to speak against over-taxation.
Why don’t you give us a solution?
Why do you act like a missionary leader, sent to punish, instead of a visionary leader, sent to transform?
Don’t be a leader with a mission to destroy this nation.
Don’t be a leader with a mission to loot from the people.
Be a visionary — a leader committed to transforming lives.
Tunaelewana vizuri.
And let me tell you — we are not afraid of death.
Because in