Preserve the nation first, PS Fikirini urges youth amid recent protests

Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs has called on youth to prioritise the stability and unity of the nation.

Fikirini advised them that ven as they express their views through protests, there was need to put the interests on the nation ahead.

“While our ideas and ideologies may be diverse and complex, our fidelity must always be to the preservation and advancement of our republic,” he said. 

This, he noted, will ensure that the set agenda is realised.

“Kwa sababu, mawazo yetu hata yawe mazuri namna gani, hayawezi kutekelezwa kama hakuna taifa. Kenya must exist first for any idea to thrive.”

Speaking in the wake of nationwide youth-led demonstrations, the PS emphasised the importance of peaceful engagement and national cohesion.

He noted that the country must remain intact for meaningful change to be achieved.

He also thanked President William Ruto for ensuring that programmes targeting the youth are not only prioritised but also implemented.

He assured the youth that the government remains committed to empowering the younger generation through various economic and creative initiatives.

His call comes amid the recent protests to mark the first anniversary since the anti-Finance Bill protests which saw parliament breached.

At least 16 people were killed, most by police gunfire, and around 400 injured.

The protests were galvanised by the recent custodial death of blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang.

In response, security forces deployed teargas, water cannons, and live ammunition, while the government imposed a media blackout on live broadcasts of the unrest.

Authorities have described the protests as tantamount to “terrorism" and attempted "civilian coup" disguised as dissent.