By Eddah Waithaka
Civil society coalition Okoa Uchumi delivered a scathing rebuke of President William Ruto’s government on Wednesday, rejecting conditional apologies and demanding immediate accountability for extrajudicial killings, economic mismanagement, and human rights abuses.
Speaking at SEO Hotel in Machakos, the group condemned the administration’s empty rhetoric, declaring, “Kenya deserves justice, not hollow ‘ifs’ from a government without a conscience!”
“No More ‘Ifs’ – We Are Burying Our Children”
The coalition dismissed President Ruto’s recent apology, “To our children, if there is any misstep, we apologize” as a cowardly evasion of responsibility.
“There is no ‘if’ when over 60 youth lie in graves, shot dead by police. There is no ‘if’ when 89 Kenyans have been abducted and disappeared. There is no ‘if’ when journalists are surveilled, critics silenced, and neighboring sovereignties violated with impunity,” the statement read.
The group accused the government of weaponizing apologies to avoid accountability, insisting that redress must be unconditional.
Betrayal at Home and Abroad
Okoa Uchumi slammed the government’s failure to defend Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan national Agatha Aruhaire, who were tortured in Tanzania.
“Instead of demanding justice, President Ruto, as EAC Chair, rushed to apologize to Tanzania. How can a government that denies Kenyans accountability pretend to deliver justice?” the coalition asked.
A Budget That Abandons Kenyans
The group tore into the 2025 Budget, labeling it “a betrayal of the people,” as they pointed to significant cuts in education, healthcare, and child welfare while security, surveillance, and elite comforts saw a threefold increase.
They highlighted the staggering Ksh. 706 billion in unpaid bills that are crushing businesses and the Ksh. 1.9 trillion allocated for debt repayments, warning that these financial decisions are pushing Kenya toward effective insolvency.
“This is not a revenue problem, it’s a theft problem,” they declared.
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Constitutional Violations and Clear Demands
Citing Articles 1, 10, and Chapter Six of Kenya’s Constitution, Okoa Uchumi demanded several crucial actions. First, the protection of Kenyans abroad, insisting that the government should no longer issue apologies to oppressors but actively defend its citizens. Second, an independent inquiry into killings, abductions, and state violence.
Third, a full audit of public debt, including the cancellation of odious loans. Fourth, the prosecution of corruption in the sectors of housing, health, and digital scams.
Fifth, the restoration of social budgets, emphasizing that healthcare, education, and contraceptives are fundamental rights, and finally, the implementation of lifestyle audits for all leaders, calling for the enforcement of Chapter Six of the Constitution.
“We Are Tired of Prayer Breakfast Apologies”
The coalition vowed to keep fighting, declaring, “We are done with apologies served at expensive ceremonies. Justice will not be whispered in prayers, it will be written in policy, action, and law.” This is not a fight against Kenya, it’s a fight FOR Kenya.
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