Celeb Watch

Huddah Monroe weighs in on Kenyan political climate after Bangladesh student-led protests

Ascah Mwango 06th August, 2024 01:07 PM

Kenyan socialite Huddah Monroe has shared her views on the current political climate in Kenya amid planned anti-government protests.

Drawing an example to recent events in Bangladesh, where student-led protests resulted in the resignation of the prime minister, Huddah expressed her disappointment with the Kenyan government for not giving in to the demands raised by its citizens.

“You see the power of the people, the woman had to resign and run to India,” Huddah noted, referencing the situation in Bangladesh.

She criticized President William Ruto’s administration saying that he seems not to care about his people or his country.

“Our president doesn’t care about us or Kenya. Our riots were not to give jobs to the opposition. That was not the intended purpose,” she asserted.

She praised the determination of the Bangladesh students noting that despite the internet outage, they were not deterred from fighting for their rights.

“Despite switching off the internet, Bangladesh students won, you can’t kill the will of the people,” she added.

Huddah’s remarks come at a time when youth-led protests in Kenya, ongoing since June 2024, have not achieved their intended outcomes.

The protests, primarily driven by discontent over the contentious Finance Bill 2024 and a call for government reforms, have seen widespread participation from young people demanding change.

The youth had demanded the dismissal of the entire cabinet. However, President Ruto opted to reshuffle most of his cabinet secretaries to different ministries, retaining only Kithure Kindiki in his previous position.

In response to Ruto’s broad-based nominated CSs, online campaigns have surged, with influencers urging the youth to join the planned demonstrations on August 8, 2024.

This call to action follows Parliament’s recent conclusion of the vetting process for the cabinet secretary nominees on Sunday, August 4, 2024.

Parliament is expected to give recommendations on whether to approve or disqualify Ruto’s nominees in the coming days.

Huddah castigates Gen Z-led protests

In a series of Instagram posts on July 2, 2024, Huddah expressed frustration over the protests, criticizing their lack of focus compared to previous demonstrations.

“Can we choose one movement and stick to it until accomplished? Movements without direction lead nowhere! It’s pure exhaustion. Let’s choose one, aim at it and go to the next,” Huddah wrote.

She emphasized the need for unity behind a single cause, urging protesters, particularly Gen Z participants, to maintain a clear plan.

“A single plan is important. If it’s #RUTOMUSTGO that should be the new national anthem. Until done then move to others,” she stated.

Huddah highlighted the effectiveness of past movements like #OccupyParliament, which she credited to having specific goals and coordinated efforts.

She suggested that current protests lacked direction, advocating for a unified message on placards and suggesting that people wait until the 2027 General Elections to make impactful changes through voting.

“Last time it was occupied Parliament we did that. Now we need something,” Huddah said.

“All placards should read the same,” she added.

“This movement has lost the plot, we wait for 2027.”