Iain Njiraini Tells Off Gen Z For Rejecting Young Leaders While Demanding Youth Rule: "Forget It"
- Political commentator Iain Njiraini has faulted Gen Z voters for rejecting the same youthful leaders they demand
- He pointed to several young figures who faced hostility when they attempted to step forward during recent protests
- Njiraini cautioned that without unity, the youth movement could lose ground to the political establishment in 2027
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
The voice of discontent is rising, and this time it is directed at the youth themselves.
Source: UGC
Political commentator and pilot Iain Njiraini has taken aim at Gen Z voters, accusing them of hypocrisy for demanding young leadership while turning away those who attempt to lead.
Njiraini said he had been shocked by recent pronouncements from a section of Gen Z activists who declared they would only support youthful candidates in the 2027 General Election.
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According to him, every young figure who has stepped up has been met with hostility rather than encouragement.
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“A section of you made a press conference making it very clear that you will not support any leader who is not youthful. This comes as a shocker to me, because everyone who has declared to be a Gen Z leader has been met with belligerence and no support at all,” Njiraini said.
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He gave examples of young aspirants who tried to rally Gen Z support during the 2024 protests but were dismissed or criticised instead.
Among them, he mentioned Nairobi businessman Khalif Kairo, who attempted to bring unity at the height of the demonstrations, only to be met with rejection.
He also cited Kasmuel McOure and Morara Kebaso, both of whom he claimed faced bitterness from the very group that claims to want youthful leadership.
“I don’t understand when a section of you say you want youthful leaders. I have seen serious planning of protests, but serious dissent when agreeing on who to support in 2027,” he remarked.
Njiraini warned that such disorganisation would only strengthen the current administration.
He argued that President William Ruto was already making inroads with the youth through charm offensives, including recent events where thousands of young people were hosted at State House.
“This will play right into the hands of the incumbent, because he is on a charm offensive. He invited thousands of youths to State House the other day. They were very happy, and I am sure most of them took part in the 2024 and 2025 anti-government protests,” he explained.
Njiraini's advise to Gen Z ahead of 2027 polls
To secure meaningful influence in the 2027 elections, Njiraini urged Gen Z to build their political choices from the ground up.
He said the focus should not only be on the presidency but also on local representation at every level.
“The lineup must start not from the president, but deep from the constituency. Decide who you want to be your MP, and speak in one voice. At the county level, decide who you want to be your governor, and speak in one voice. In that way, you can come together and decide on who you want to be president,” he advised.
“Forget about it. You will just be doing press conferences and shouting that you want change, but nothing will happen because of the dissenting views and being unable to speak in one voice,” he added.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
