Mandera senator explains how protests threaten counties
By Luke Oluoch, June 27, 2025Mandera Senator Abdi Roba has sounded an alarm that the ongoing unrest occasioned by the Gen Zs’ demonstration is adversely impacting the push for more allocations to the counties.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Friday, June 27, 2025, the senator stated that the anarchy is reversing the gains made by the Senate and the national assembly’s quest to have more money allocated to the devolved units.
“Even as the Senate tries to push for more money. The Senate is in an awkward position in terms of pushing more money for counties,” he stated.
“The reality of government performance in terms of fiscal space for collecting money to be shared vertically between two levels of government is getting worse. The committee has done its best to push for 415 billion, which is 28 billion more than that of last year,” the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budge revealed.
While addressing the happenings of Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the protest that marked the first anniversary of the killings of the young people killed during the 2024 anti-finance bill, the senator decried being hijacked by hooligans.
“Looking at what is happening in our country. Last year, there was a demonstration that was genuinely Gen Z. This year, it was packaged differently into organised crime. A lot of agitation in our country in the name of sponsored hooliganism will go a long way in reducing the performance of the counties and spoiling the country’s image and destruction of property,” he lamented.
His sentiment comes after various leaders came out to condemn Wednesday’s happening as unlawful.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki sounded a stern warning to the perpetrators of the Wednesday, June 25, 2025, protests, stating that the government will make an example of those involved in the mayhem that led to the death of 60 people and massive destruction of property in its wake.
The DP said the government is determined to ensure that such acts of lawlessness are never repeated.
Limitations to freedom
The DP hit out at individuals who term the happenings of the protests a freedom of expression for their ignorance of the law.
He further stated that the call for accountability will be a multifaceted approach targeting also law enforcement officers found to have engaged in excesses towards civilians.
“Those telling us freedom is limitless should understand that one’s freedom to punch aimlessly in the air stops where my nose starts. I understand the Constitution more than those making noise. If you have rights, there are also limitations,” he stated.
“We will make a lesson of accountability on what happened in Kenya. If there are cases of police who engaged in excesses, they will be dealt with, but we saw police being attacked and stations being burned down. We will also protect those officers against attacks. I want to assure you that yesterday was a low moment for our country. We will make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he stated.