{"id":139970,"date":"2026-05-06T06:02:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T06:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/maraga-odhiambo-slam-suluhu-remarks-on-gen-z-activism-crackdown\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T06:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T06:02:47","slug":"maraga-odhiambo-slam-suluhu-remarks-on-gen-z-activism-crackdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/maraga-odhiambo-slam-suluhu-remarks-on-gen-z-activism-crackdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Maraga, Odhiambo slam Suluhu remarks on Gen Z activism crackdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5 \u2014 Former Chief Justice David Maraga and former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo have criticised remarks by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan calling for joint action with Kenya to curb what she termed disruptive Gen Z activism.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The comments, made during President William Ruto\u2019s state visit to Tanzania, have sparked a regional debate on the balance between security and civil liberties, with senior legal figures warning of a potential rollback of democratic gains in East Africa.<\/p>\n

Maraga said he was \u201cdeeply disturbed\u201d by reports that the two leaders discussed coordinating efforts to crack down on youth-led activism across borders.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Chief Justice, I cherished the brotherly bonds within our East African jumuiya and worked closely with my colleagues in the Tanzanian judiciary in the shared pursuit of justice and the rule of law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am therefore deeply disturbed by the remarks attributed to President Samia Suluhu\u2026 It is regrettable that the two presidents are reported to have discussed coordinating efforts to \u2018chapa mikwajo\u2019 the Gen Z across Kenya and Tanzania.\u201d<\/p>\n

He described the alleged remarks as \u201cabhorrent,\u201d linking them to unresolved accountability concerns following Tanzania\u2019s 2025 general election.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese remarks come barely a week after President Suluhu received the report of the commission of inquiry into killings during and after Tanzania\u2019s October 29, 2025 general election, in which more than 518 people lost their lives, primarily from gunshot wounds. To date, not a single person has been held accountable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Conspiracy\u2019<\/h2>\n

Maraga also cited cases involving regional activists, including Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire, warning that impunity was eroding trust in state institutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe axis of tyranny that Presidents Suluhu and Ruto are constructing threatens to return our region to autocracy,\u201d he said, adding that East Africa cannot progress \u201cwhile leaders suppress dissent and trample on the basic rights of our people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Separately, Odhiambo condemned the remarks as an attack on constitutional freedoms and democratic principles.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen two heads of state meet to discuss how to whip and discipline citizens demanding accountability, we\u2019ve crossed from democracy into dictatorship,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Suluhu\u2019s call for President Ruto to join her in suppressing Gen Zs is a conspiracy against constitutional rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

She argued that framing youth-led protests as disorderly behaviour undermines the rule of law and accountability.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe audacity to frame calls for good governance as notorious behaviour that must be tamed is an insult to every freedom our constitutions guarantee,\u201d Odhiambo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDemocracy is anchored on the fundamental pillars of the rule of law, human rights and accountable leadership. These aren\u2019t negotiable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Odhiambo added that citizens would continue to assert their rights despite threats of repression.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will not be silenced. We will not be beaten into submission. The Constitution is our shield and defender, not the whims of those who fear accountability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Cross-border crackdown <\/h2>\n

President Suluhu, speaking during a joint appearance with Ruto, called for closer coordination between Kenya and Tanzania to address what she described as cross-border activism fuelling unrest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen evils occur in Kenya, they are our evils; let us cooperate to remove them. When evils occur in Tanzania, it is the same,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were discussing how to deal with these ill-mannered children of ours who call themselves Gen Z\u2026 going everywhere claiming to fight for democracy, yet they cause chaos, burn things and disturb their governments.\u201d<\/p>\n

She urged authorities in both countries to take a firm stance against activists perceived to incite instability, regardless of nationality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to stand firm on these people. If they come to me, I will deal with them; if they come to you, deal with them so they behave,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Suluhu also emphasised that democratic systems should reflect local contexts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe word democracy should not spoil our countries, our traditions or our customs. Democracy has no single formula,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her remarks come amid heightened scrutiny over how East African governments respond to dissent, particularly youth-driven protests.<\/p>\n

2024 Finance Bill protests <\/h2>\n

In Kenya, demonstrations against the 2024 Finance Bill, largely organised by Gen Z activists, were met with a heavy police response, drawing criticism from civil society and international observers.<\/p>\n

A recent report by Freedom House has intensified debate, placing Kenya and Tanzania among countries accused of engaging in transnational repression, including cross-border targeting of political dissidents.<\/p>\n

The report cited incidents such as the rendition of Kizza Besigye and the abduction of Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai in Nairobi as examples of growing regional security cooperation being used to silence critics.<\/p>\n

According to the watchdog, at least 54 governments globally have engaged in such practices, with East Africa emerging as a key hotspot.<\/p>\n

While Suluhu framed her remarks as necessary to maintain order and protect sovereignty, critics warn that closer state coordination in handling dissent could shrink civic space and undermine Kenya\u2019s longstanding reputation as a regional safe haven for activists.<\/p>\n

Edwin Sifuna, secretary-general of the Orange Democratic Movement, also weighed in, defending activism as central to democracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they say we should be beaten, then so be it, we will defend democracy, even as the so-called \u2018undisciplined youth,\u2019\u201d he said in a social media post.<\/p>\n

President Ruto, who is on a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties in trade, infrastructure and regional cooperation, did not directly address the remarks on activists during the joint appearance.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5 \u2014 Former Chief Justice David Maraga and former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo have criticised remarks by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan calling for joint action with Kenya to curb what she termed disruptive Gen Z activism. The comments, made during President William Ruto\u2019s state visit to Tanzania, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139970\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}