When youfhtul "goons" wielding heavy sticks stormed the streets of Nairobi last week to brutalize Gen Z protesters, the symbolism was deafening far beyond Kenya’s borders.
In Kampala, observers quickly recognised the script. President William Ruto, it seemed, had finally taken his seat at Africa’s high table of strongmen—where the “law of rule” reigns supreme over the “rule of law.”
The so-called “goons,” likely hired from urban slums and liquored up on chang’aa or busaa, did not hide their mission. They were unleashed not to maintain order but to break resistance. Their victims? Young, unarmed Kenyans demanding transparency, dignity, and accountability.
And that "Ruto Must Go!"
For those familiar with Uganda’s political terrain, the parallels are uncanny. In Yoweri Museveni’s Uganda, protestors have long faced mysterious brutes who show no emotion, speak unfamiliar tongues, and disappear just as quickly as they appear.
In Kenya, the young men spoke Kiswahili, did not install as much fear or show the kind of deathly intent in Kampala’s playbook. Some were even grabbed by those they hunted and given a proper beating.
And that is where Ruto failed. In Jampala the goons come once and nobody wants to face them again. Ever!
Whoever whispered this tactic to Ruto might also have reminded him of a cruel old adage: “If you must eat a frog, go for the biggest one—slimy guts and all.” And Ruto appears to be following that advice, inch by inch.
But this is not Ruto’s first brush with mass unrest. The specter of 2007 still looms large.
Following the December 2007 general elections, Kenya plunged into chaos after Mwai Kibaki was controversially declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The violence that erupted—especially along ethnic lines—killed over 1,100 people and displaced more than 600,000. The Rift Valley, where Ruto held considerable political sway, saw some of the worst atrocities.
He was subsequently named by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as one of six individuals bearing the greatest responsibility for the violence.
Ruto, then a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), was charged with crimes against humanity, including murder, deportation, and persecution.
But in 2016, the ICC dropped the case, citing insufficient evidence and claims of witness tampering. While some celebrated the withdrawal of charges, many Kenyans remained uneasy, believing justice had been obstructed, not served.
Ruto’s ascent since then has been nothing short of remarkable. In the 2022 general elections, he faced formidable odds. Backed by his new United Democratic Alliance (UDA), he campaigned on a “hustler” narrative, positioning himself as the champion of the common man against an entrenched elite.
His main rival was Raila Odinga—backed by then-incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta and supported by state machinery.
Despite the might of the so-called “handshake government,” Ruto triumphed. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared him the winner with 50.5% of the vote against Odinga’s 48.9%.
Raila disputed the outcome, but the Supreme Court upheld Ruto’s win. The result stunned many observers who had expected the state to tilt the scale.
In power, Ruto made swift changes. He promised to revamp the economy, cut public spending, and reform governance. But over time, Kenyans began to feel betrayed.
A series of controversial tax proposals and austerity measures hit hard—especially among youth already grappling with high unemployment, inflation, and an unresponsive state.
By mid-2024, discontent had boiled over. Gen Z Kenyans—highly connected, politically conscious, and unafraid—took to the streets in protest.
The spark was the Finance Bill 2024, which proposed additional taxes on essential items and digital transactions. Young people saw it as a declaration of war against their future.
Unlike traditional protests organized by political parties or civil society, this was an organic digital uprising. Leaders emerged from TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. There was no single figure to arrest, no office to raid. The protests were leaderless yet loud, coordinated yet spontaneous.
Initially, Ruto’s government responded with tear gas, mass arrests, and online blackouts. But as global attention mounted and videos of brutality circulated widely, pressure forced the administration to blink.
In a stunning turnaround, the government shelved several provisions of the Finance Bill. Ruto also pledged to review public spending and reduce the size of his government—a cabinet that had grown bloated and ineffective.
He even sacked underperforming ministers and scaled down on foreign trips. His daughter’s reported privileges were quietly withdrawn after public scrutiny.
These weren’t signs of weakness—they were evidence of a leader adapting under pressure. Ruto, unlike many of his peers, learns fast.
And that is precisely what makes him dangerous.
A president who keeps compromising under pressure can, at some point, decide he has yielded enough. When that moment comes, the man who once courted crowds with Bibles and hustler slogans may become something else entirely—unyielding, vengeful, and authoritarian.
One can almost imagine him snapping and saying, “Nimechoka na wapumbavu!”—“I am tired of these fools!”
History teaches that even reformists can harden when they feel besieged. From 2007’s bloody aftermath to outfoxing Raila and Uhuru in 2022, Ruto has proven to be resilient, resourceful, and deeply calculating.
He may laugh easily, quote scripture fluently, and appear conciliatory—but beneath the surface lies steel.
Many of his critics underestimated him before. They may be doing so again.
For Kenya’s Gen Z, the stakes could not be higher. Either they succeed in pushing for a more transparent, accountable governance model—or they awaken a new beast in Ruto, one forged in the fires of 2007 and tempered by the betrayals and victories that followed.
Comrade Rubashov, in Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon, was said to be made of a metal that became stronger the more it was struck. William Ruto may well be that metal.
And that should worry everyone.