Mombasa, Kenya – Young activists in Mombasa voiced strong disapproval on May 30 regarding President William Ruto’s public apology issued during the National Prayer Breakfast, dismissing it as both insincere and wholly insufficient to address their concerns. The President's apology, reportedly aimed at mending fences with Tanzania and addressing grievances among Kenya’s youth, was met with sharp criticism from Gen Z leaders.

These youth representatives characterized the apology as “sheer hypocrisy,” emphasizing a demand for tangible policy changes and governmental action rather than reconciliatory words. Brian Mutuku, a prominent youth activist, contended that the president’s address was primarily politically motivated and lacked genuine contrition. “We have lost trust in mere pronouncements,” Mutuku stated firmly to reporters during a press briefing.

Echoing these sentiments, another youth leader, Meshack Nyongesa, issued a warning of potential political repercussions if the government fails to deliver meaningful change and address the core issues affecting young Kenyans. “We will not be pacified by empty words or gestures that do not translate into real improvements in our lives and governance,” Nyongesa asserted, signaling a growing impatience among the nation's youth for substantive reforms.