Leaders cannot keep borrowing courage of youth

The greatest betrayal of Kenya’s young people is not police brutality. It is political cowardice. For two years, many politicians have mastered the art of fiery speeches, social media outrage and press conference heroics.

They have condemned bad governance, rejected punitive taxes and urged Kenyans to “stand up and fight.” Yet, when history demands their presence, they are nowhere to be found. Last week, Members of Parliament who had spent weeks criticising the Finance Bill 2026,  mysteriously disappeared when it mattered most—during the vote.

Their absence handed the government the numbers needed to pass legislation they had publicly denounced. They spoke loudly outside Parliament but fell silent inside the august House. Leadership is measured by votes, not by television interviews.

Then came the second anniversary of the June 25, 2024 Gen Z protests, a day meant to honour young Kenyans who paid the ultimate price for demanding accountability.

Once again, many politicians who had passionately urged the youth onto the streets were conspicuously absent. Those who appeared vanished the moment police dispersed demonstrators, leaving ordinary citizens exposed to arrests, injuries and harassment.

It is difficult to imagine a clearer picture of political opportunism. The youth who marched in 2024 were not fighting for political careers. They were demanding a country where leaders respect the Constitution, public resources are protected and citizens are heard. Many lost their lives believing they were defending Kenya’s future.

Yet today, some leaders seem content to use that sacrifice as campaign material while avoiding risks that genuine leadership requires.

True leadership is standing with people when tear gas fills the air, not arriving after the smoke has cleared to issue carefully worded statements. It is remaining in Parliament to cast a difficult vote, not slipping away to preserve political convenience. It is sharing the burden with citizens.

Kenyans are noticing this pattern. The public is no longer impressed by revolutionary rhetoric delivered from the safety of TV studios or social media platforms. They are watching actions, not slogans.

The Gen Z movement fundamentally changed Kenya’s political landscape because it rejected blind loyalty to politicians. It demanded integrity, accountability and personal responsibility. Ironically, some politicians now seek to ride that wave without embracing its values.

The youth deserve better than leaders who outsource courage. As Kenya moves toward another election cycle, Kenyans must ask harder questions. Who stood firm when decisions mattered? Who voted according to their promises? Who remained with citizens during moments of danger? And who disappeared when leadership was needed most?

Kenya does not suffer from a shortage of eloquent politicians. It suffers from a shortage of courageous leaders. Until that changes, the country’s youth will continue paying the price for a political class that demands sacrifice from others while protecting itself.