Gem Member of Parliament Elisha Odhiambo has slammed former President Uhuru Kenyatta over his recent call to the youth to rise up for good governance and shun short term political gains.

Now, Odhiambo, an ally of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, says the call by Kenyatta amounted to inciting Kenyans against a “democratically elected” government.

According to the legislator, Kenyatta should be the last person to urge Kenyans to rise up against their government, having himself enjoyed peace and tranquillity during his reign.

In June last year, disgruntled Kenyan youth – Gen Z for Generation Z – occupied parliament buildings in the capital Nairobi and threatened to storm State House – the seat of government – unless President Ruto rescinded tax proposals the protesters deemed punitive in an economy with excruciating joblessness. The protests, the first of a kind in Kenya’s 60 year history forced the jet-set president to pause his frequent foreign travels the youth described as burden to the taxpayer.

In response to the protests, the president recalled the financial statement that contained the tax proposals from parliament, a move that briefly restored calm in the country.

In a keynote address at the second annual Guild Leaders’ Summit 2025 at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, Kenyatta framed Africa’s challenges as a clarion call for youth-led transformation declaring:

“You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa for the sake of the future generations. No one is coming to save us, and as the world turns increasingly inward, the places to seek refuge are rapidly disappearing. You have the numbers, you have the time, and you have the energy to get involved and stay involved in governance discussions until you effect the changes you wish to see.”

Speaking at Ndere Dispensary in North Gem ward during a meet-the-people tour of his constituency on Monday, Odhiambo said the former president should carefully weigh his words while addressing the public.

“As former president, we have due regard to what you did during your presidency. Calling upon the youth to rise up against President William Ruto’s government is a wrong indicator,” said Odhiambo. “I want to encourage Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta to think about Kenya.”

The legislator said the former president cannot claim to have retired with clean hands as during his tenure, the majority of the cabinet secretaries and senior government officials hailed from his community in Mt Kenya region.

“Let me remind you that it is during your term in office that bodies (of murdered Kenyans) were dumped in River Yala,” he said and added, “So you should be the last person to cast aspersions on the leadership of William Samoei Ruto.”

He called on Kenyans to ignore the former president’s remarks and allow president Ruto to do his work.

Odhiambo at the same time called out former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for expending energy on attacking the government, saying that this was a pointer that Gachagua was very idle.

“Look for something to do, even if it is advancing your education as you wait for the 2027 elections,” Odhiambo said.

He told those opposed to President Ruto’s leadership to prepare for his second term and cited history, which shows no president has ever served for one term. Odhiambo at the same time called on Siaya Governor James Orengo and his Kisumu counterpart, Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, to allow residents of Nyanza enjoy their support of the government.

“Our people have died in the past. Let us now stay in government,” he said adding that if the two governors felt they were insecure in the broad-based government, they should honourably resign from their positions and officially join the opposition.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Philip Onyango