In a bold and clarifying statement, Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has come out strongly to defend Gen Z demonstrators against growing claims that they were behind the recent break-in at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) store in Meru County.
Speaking on July 4th, 2025, Kagwe dispelled the narrative that painted the youth-led protest movement as violent and lawless.
“You heard what happened to an NCPB store in Meru recently. Let us say it as it is,” Kagwe began, pointing out that the criminal incident had nothing to do with the ongoing Gen Z-led protests across the country.
According to the CS, such acts are being wrongly attributed to the demonstrators, and in reality, are executed by well-organized criminal networks exploiting the national unrest to carry out their plans.
Kagwe emphasized that these groups are not part of the youth-led resistance but are instead people with ill motives who use the chaos of protest days as cover for criminal activity.
“These things are planned by criminals,” he said. “It is people that know there are protests on a certain day, then they plan so that they can hide behind the demonstrations.”
The NCPB facility in Meru was reportedly raided amid national demonstrations that have swept the country, largely driven by young Kenyans demanding accountability, equity, and leadership reform.
While some critics have accused Gen Z of fueling anarchy, Kagwe’s remarks push back on that perception, urging the public to differentiate between peaceful protest and orchestrated crime.
His statement comes at a crucial time as the government grapples with how to respond to the surge of youth activism while maintaining national security.
Kagwe’s defense of Gen Z appears to signal a shift in tone from earlier hardline government rhetoric.
It reflects a growing recognition that not all unrest can be lumped under the same label, and that understanding the forces at play requires nuance and honesty.
With public trust hanging in the balance, leaders like Kagwe are calling for discernment, reminding Kenyans that legitimate civic expression should not be smeared by the actions of opportunistic criminals lurking in the shadows.
By Nairobi