Kibwana to Gachagua: You can’t midwife Gen Z movement that rose without you
By Kenneth Mwenda, July 11, 2025Former Makueni Governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana has taken a swipe at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over what he called an attempt to position himself as a key figure in the Gen Z-led youth movement.
“Mountainman RG was impeached October 2024. Gen Z Uprising debacled June 2024. Help me with the maths! How could @rigathi the former Deputy President be the midwife of the Youth Movement?” Kibwana questioned Gachagua’s narrative and timeline, writing in a pointed post on X on Friday, July 11, 2025.
Kibwana went on to praise the youth for rising up on their own.
“We must come to terms with the emergent Youth Power. They want to fix Kenya for all of us!”
His remarks follow Gachagua’s recent statements suggesting that he lost his job because of his support for the youth during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
Speaking on 27 June during a televised interview, Gachagua said he chose to stand with the young people rather than protect his political seat.
“I sacrificed my job as Deputy President, a very good job with security, and I said I want to stand with these children,” he said. “I attracted the wrath of William Ruto for standing with these young people.”
Gachagua denies leading protests
Gachagua insisted that he was not trying to lead or fund the protests, but had offered moral support and solidarity.
“I do not want to force myself on Gen Z all the time. I have been accused of funding them, but all I have done is to stand with them,” he said.
On Thursday, 10 July 2025, Gachagua arrived in Seattle, USA, for a two-month tour aimed at engaging the Kenyan diaspora and discussing the state of the nation. He was warmly received at SeaTac Airport by Kenyans living in the area, alongside his wife, Dorcas Gachagua.
The Gen Z movement, which gained national momentum in mid-2024, was largely leaderless and digital-first, relying on social media platforms to mobilise protests and push for political accountability.