Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) allied to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party have called on Gen Zs to stop unreasonable demands on President William Ruto.

The MCAs are the latest cohorts to jump into the defense of Ruto, who has been under immense pressure from the youth for months now. The MCAs also called for an end to violence.

"We wish to call for an end to the violence being perpetuated and perpetrated under the disguise of peaceful protests.

"Unreasonable demands on the President and the government must cease, especially where the demands have neither a constitutional nor legal basis.

"No one has the monopoly of violence, and supporters of the government can also opt to mobilize and come out into the streets to defend it. This would only lead to escalation of the situation," the MCAs said in a joint statement delivered on Monday, July 22, 2024.

The County Assembly representatives warned that Gen Z's demonstrations have been infiltrated by goons who have caused lawlessness, leading to loss of life and property.

"In the recent past, we have observed with great concern the various happenings in our country. What started as opposition to the Finance Bill has slowly and steadily mutated into acts of lawlessness and criminality. Criminals have taken advantage of the demonstrations by young people to loot and burn property, as well as engage in other acts of hooliganism.

"As a result, lives have been lost and many people have been injured. Businesses and individuals have lost billions of shillings through the destruction of property, while the country has lost tens of billions of shillings in revenue," they argued.

The MCAs also claimed that it is now clear that some elements, especially in politics and the civil society sector, have joined the demos and fan 'a very nefarious and crooked agenda'.

The MCAs echoed President Ruto's stance that enough is enough and that the protests must come to an end.

"We wish to note that the President has gone out of his way to engage the youth. He refused to sign the Finance Bill 2024 and sent a memorandum to the National Assembly to withdraw it. The President also dismissed the entire Cabinet and has begun reconstituting it.

"It is important to point out that the lawlessness that is being deliberately perpetuated has begun taking a toll on innocent Kenyans who have been caught in the crosshairs of the confrontations between unruly mobs and the police. Many Kenyans have resolved that enough is enough and are beginning to take the law into their own hands," the statement added.

The MCAs say that the Constitution gives a very clear mandate to the winner of a presidential election to form a government, and therefore it is important to allow Ruto to perform his duties.

They added that the protesting Gen Z should wait until 2027 and elect the leaders of their own choice.