After a series of statements and online lamentations from the Kenya Kwanza government accusing online activism of undermining its credibility and delegitimising its initiatives, Hip hop artist Julius Owino famously known as Juliani, has come out to debunk the narrative.
Speaking on a local TV station on Friday, February 7, 2025, the rapper strongly rebuffed the narrative that those questioning the government were doing it from a position of hate for the country and the current crop of leaders.
Juliani maintained that most active citizens were focused on seeing Kenya hit its potential in terms of serving the people and fulfilling its mandate.
“We live in a society so we have to consistently question ourselves and we have to dream about what is possible consistently. So when we talk about activism and active citizen, it does not mean we hate our country or we hate our leaders,” Juliani stated.
“It means we always have to interrogate ourselves consistently to find the best version of this society,” Juliani added.
On January 12, 2025, Dagoretti North Member of Parliament Beatrice Elachi castigated those disrespecting President William Ruto even insulting him in churches.
“We must respect the president; he is our father. When you go abroad they wonder which country we come from,” Elachi stated.
The Dagoretti North legislator went on to rebuke Ruto’s critics, urging them to leave Kenya if dissatisfied.
“Those coming (foreigners) say Kenya is a good country…. but Kenyans are there complaining and not going away. If Kenya is bad why not leave, what are you doing here in a bad place, disappear. If you can not leave then know this is your country and there is nowhere else you can go,” Elachi said.
Other Kenya Kwanza lawmakers have also criticised activists and online activism with in some instances Ruto fingered for calling citizens fools for opposing the livestock vaccination programme.
Juliani stance on governance
Despite concerted efforts to shut down criticism, Juliani whose song ‘Utawala‘ has been used in various political forums to demand accountability insisted that most active citizens want the government to work for the people.
He listed access to better healthcare and proper education systems as among the areas that the government must prioritise.
Further, Juliani waded into the issue of abductions in the country maintaining that the matter needed to be addressed urgently together with extra-judicial killings.
“The government should be taking care of its citizens and not killing them, the government should be able to take care of healthcare and other issues,” Juliani affirmed.
His sentiments came after families of some of the missing Mlolongo men found their bodies at the morgue. This sparked an uproar with Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi calling on President William Ruto to form a commission of inquiry.
Nonetheless, Juliani told the local TV station that he would continue using art for activism insisting that it is a powerful tool that can fix the nation, unlike politics which he said was structured and systematic.
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