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Kisii County Senator and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party member, Richard Onyonka, has issued a fervent call to action against the challenges facing Kenya’s youth and the rampant corruption within the government.
In a recent exclusive interview with The Africana Voice, Onyonka highlighted the critical issues of youth unemployment, systemic corruption, and the need for comprehensive political reforms.
“Kenya has an excessively large number of young people who are incredibly smart and highly educated,” Onyonka began. He pointed out that many of these young individuals have made significant sacrifices, often coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, to achieve their educational goals. “Social media and the internet have given them the opportunity to interact with each other. Thus, they are able to interpret and analyze the issues that are affecting the country, whether past or present,” he explained.
Onyonka lamented that despite their qualifications and potential, the youth have been largely neglected by the government. He said that for the longest time, the government of Kenya has taken the youth for granted, especially on the front of providing job opportunities for them. “I see the government coming up with suggestions and some things that look like solutions but there is no clarity of policy and intention.”
The senator did not mince words when discussing the pervasive corruption within the government, which he believes has significantly worsened the situation for young Kenyans. He said the rise of corruption in the government has even worsened things for Kenyans and especially for the youth, the majority of whom are unemployed and struggling to survive. He specifically blamed county governors for their imprudent use of public funds. “For them, being a governor is something that is supposed to give you access, contacts, and opportunities to make money for yourself and if possible become a multi-billionaire.”
“How I pray that these young men and women stay the course. Right now, they might be unstable, they may look like ODM has sold them out, but this story was not about ODM,” Sen. Richard Onyonka
The senator stressed that the root of many problems in Kenya lies in its political system. “We need to fix our politics because it is politics that has generated the corruption,” he noted. He also criticized the electorate for voting in leaders who are not qualified to manage the country’s resources. “We have elected people who didn’t even go to school to manage our resources, assets, and economy,” he said, adding that this has led to widespread destitution among the poor majority who can barely afford basic needs like healthcare.
“Why is it that our referral hospitals are riddled with tribalism, theft, and favoritism?” he posed. Onyonka pointed out that even those who can afford to visit public health facilities are met with deplorable conditions due to mismanagement and corruption.
Encouraging Gen Z to Fight Corruption
In light of these issues, Onyonka encouraged Kenya’s youth to rise and demand change. He said that it is imperative that the young people in Kenya must stand up and fight against corruption and for good governance since the public institutions and even arms of government such as the legislature have been compromised. He alluded to the recent public outcry against the Finance Bill 2024, which was rejected after widespread protests led by young people. “That is why you cannot find a member of parliament who can stand up (except the few cases that have been seen) and say no, we are passing a bad law,” he said.
Onyonka called for the legislature to oversee the executive branch of the government professionally rather than personally. He argued that the ruling class should lead by example in demanding excellence from the government.
The senator, who is in the opposition, did not hold back in his criticism of President William Ruto’s administration. He accused the president of failing to curb corruption within the government. “Why do we spend 70 to 100 million shillings to construct one kilometer of bitumen road in Kenya while Rwanda spends 21 million shillings?” he asked, his frustration evident.
Onyonka also blamed the administration for making education prohibitively expensive for poor students. “We take a young man to school, he gets an A, and now we are telling that young man that for you to go and do medicine, you have to get 1,500 relatives to contribute Ksh 200 each because the fee has become Ksh 1.5 million a year,” he said.
He also addressed the issue of corruption in the job market, which has prevented many qualified young people from securing employment. “How is a child of a poor person who has got a First Class Honors, who does not have an uncle in parliament, supposed to walk into a ministry that has advertised work, do interviews, and get a job?” he questioned.
He alleged that Human Resource departments across various ministries are complicit in perpetuating corruption and denying deserving Kenyans opportunities. “There are people whose IDs are being used, and the HR departments receive those backdated names, and these individuals have never retired,” he said.
The senator observed that the younger generations, including millennials and Gen Zs, are increasingly taking matters into their own hands. “These young people have seen that their parents and grandparents have failed in calling out corruption and bad governance in the country, and they have decided to tackle the problem head-on,” he said. Onyonka believes that these young activists represent a new wave of ownership over Kenya’s future. “Kenya has its owners, and some of its owners are these children running around saying we want good governance, we don’t want police brutality, we want affordable education,” he noted.
He pointed out that many elected leaders and government officials have become wealthy while neglecting the needs of ordinary Kenyans. “Many of us are rich, we drive big cars and live in beautiful houses, but there are people in informal settlements where you have a father, a mother, and six children sharing a house of two rooms—that is where they sleep, eat, and engage. And you expect them to be normal?” He remarked. He proposed building affordable housing on large tracts of land, which he claimed are being grabbed by the wealthy, and relocating the poor to these new homes where they can pay off the costs over 40 years.
Regarding recent Gen Z protests, Onyonka encouraged the youth to remain committed to their cause, despite feeling betrayed by some opposition members who have aligned with the government. “How I pray that these young men and women stay the course,” he said. “Right now, they might be unstable, they may look like ODM has sold them out, but this story was not about ODM.”
He issued a warning to leaders like Raila Odinga and President Ruto, stating that they will face a reckoning if they fail to address Kenya’s pressing issues. “In the coming election, they will be completely shocked because now you have a population of about 20 million young people who are waiting, and in 700 days, I don’t think they will have forgotten what has happened,” he said.
Onyonka also suggested that ODM should consider handing over opposition leadership to Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party. He said he is willing to work with Wiper. “Now because ODM has joined the government, let us hand over the opposition to Wiper. I will work with Wiper because I will remain in the opposition,” he said.
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