Kenyan Celebrities Should Keep Off The Youth Revolution
Yesterday as I was listening to a Dave Chappelle special called “8:46” where he talks about the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matters riots, I couldn’t help but draw similarities to our own yearn for change in Kenya. Some of the celebrities in America spoke up, some like him didn’t. When he gave his reasons, I had an epiphany. I have been causing riot on celebrities that haven’t been supporting us but in my new realization I am glad they haven’t.
As a young Kenyan who participated in the digital activism that sparked the “2024 Anti-Finance Bill” protests, as a young Kenyan kid who was teargassed severally by criminals with police badges, THIS BELONGS TO US. Don’t get me wrong, I am not gatekeeping teargas bullets or death, my simple statement is we should not let hitchhikers hijack this movement. Heck, they most probably did, but most celebrities have been silent all these months and I am so glad they have.
Celebrities are naturally selfish; power, powder, money, and respect. They ache for that, crave for the attention, but wait who doesn’t right? If you remember on June 25th, a lot of our celebrities posted videos and photos at the center of protests. Terrence creative even came in his caretaker character with his bunch of keys and I remember thinking, bro this in not about you. The aftermath of June 25th was abductions, injuries and cold blooded killings, but who knows any one celebrity that was injured, kidnapped or even killed in the protests or for invading parliament? Because none of them were in the protests for more than 17 minutes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish death/Injury on anyone, but this goes to prove that they were there just for photo opps. Another retarded fellow called Khalif Kairo posted the coldest picture ever and praised himself for braving Police water cannons, only for a video to surface showing him pouring bottled water ON HIMSELF and being at the forefront for a maximum of 6 seconds. Now in all hubris and opulence display, he is busy lecturing youth on how to sidestep bad governance.
In all honesty and guilt, we need to stop worshipping Celebrities so much, it is the one group of fellas whose combined IQ is lower than a oil rig. Being in the music business, I have interacted heavily with a fair share of celebrities and showmen, and below I will spell out reasons why they are the last people we need for any of this to work.
Celebrities are so out of touch with reality that they simply can not comprehend the anger that is boiling in the youth. In their luxurious cars, mansions and the few with boats, they can afford a lifestyle that only about 10% of Kenyans can. In real sense they don’t even understand why the youth are saying that the system doesn’t work because it works for them. In an interview with Iko nini, Jalang’o revealed that Maina and Kingangi each earn about Ksh 3m per month, more than the official salary of His (NOT) Excellency the President.
Do you honestly think these people understand the situation while dining at JW Marriot? Khaligraph Jones just built a 100m house, an indisputed sellout that was in bed with Ruto BEFORE the elections doesn’t know what the streets are saying. Hizo shida za Kayole ziliisha kitambo sana.
Influencers that were at the forefront of mobilization for the protests have been accused of betraying the movement at it’s most crucial stage. On the eve of #OccupyStatehouse, Twitter influencers and Bigwigs like Hanifa Adan posted scarecrow messages discouraging people to invade statehouse citing that it was a protected area. Not to be an outlaw, but we were not protesting and invading government institutions because it was legal, it was because we want Ruto to go. Knowing how Twitter gigs are set up, to have keywords in all tweets promoting the same message to harmonize reach, Hanifa and the rest were paid to scare people away from statehouse. As much as I know she has done tremendous work with M-Changa paying hospital bills for victims, that was a betrayal moment for the movement.
Another Influencer moment that disparaged the movement to shreds was when Osama Otero hosted the President on his X platform. It was alleged that he was paid. Now, I don’t know whether he was paid or not, I don’t even think I care, most of the “Bigwigs” are on government payroll to undermine the digital activism anyway. What hurt is the despair and hopelessness that spread among people that did not know the truth, the whole Internet community was hurt because we felt defeated. People lost their lives for this and at the pinnacle of the movement, shit hit the fan.
The problem with having influential people at the forefront of this whole revolution is it takes away the focus on the real issues and instead refocuses on their soulless miserable lives. Personally, If Bahati and Diana agreed with my opinion I would really doubt the levels of my intelligence. The whole clique of Youtube couples of Kabi Wa Jesus and their pretentious lives are people with no moral standards to lecture anyone about anything, let alone stand for anything for they lack genuinety.
I understand that some of them are protecting their brand endorsements deals and avoiding to sound apolitical, but even once you separate the art from the artist, some of these celebrities would have watered down the movement anyway. That said celebrities like Ombachi has been there since day fighting alongside us, Firimbing his away in CBD like an Amapiano concert, that is a real fighter. If they are going to do it, atleast do it all the way because you believe in it, not to seem cool like our favorite Number Nane rapper, come on bro, you are in bed with International organizations, and this is jealousy speaking. He has done his fair share of activism in his town Kibera but what are you doing in Kakuma bruv.
Enter The Kasmuels and Moraras
When the movement was leaderless and partyless, June 25th happened, milestones achieved. The finance Bill was dropped, cabinet reshuffled and hot potatoes in the government dropped, it was a genuine cause. My belief is that some of the leaders that sprouted out are agents of the state, a forced face of the revolution that enabled the protests to subside since now we had a few people to articulate our issues. I have been wrong before so this won’t be the first time.Whether they are genuine or not, we need fresh leadership and if those are the best the government could find to sabotage itself, then it is fine by me. All I know is in 2027 I am only voting for sober young leaders and I will dedicate my time and abilities to make sure my peers do the same.
