President Samia Suluhu Hassan has sparked fresh debate across East Africa after calling on Kenyan President William Ruto to take a firmer stance against young activists pushing for political accountability and governance reforms.
Speaking during a joint address at State House in Dar es Salaam on Monday, Suluhu said governments in the region should work together to contain what she described as growing unrest driven largely by Gen Z activists.
“There is no need to be divided, if they show up in Kenya, they are ours as well, and we should jointly deal with them, and the same should be done in Tanzania.” Suluhu said.
Her remarks come at a time of rising political tension in both Kenya and Tanzania, where younger citizens have increasingly turned to protests and online activism to challenge corruption, economic hardship and state accountability.
Suluhu argued that democratic systems differ from country to country and warned against allowing what she described as foreign interpretations of democracy to weaken national values and authority.
“The word democracy should not taint our countries and our cultures,” she said. “Your democracy is not the same as our democracy.”
The Tanzanian leader went further, describing recent conversations with Ruto on how to respond to youth-led activism in the region.
“We were discussing with President Ruto on how to deal with the notorious Gen Z,” she said. “If they come to Tanzania, I whip them, and when they come to Kenya, you whip them.”
The comments immediately drew strong reactions online and from civil society groups, with critics warning that such language risks deepening fears about shrinking democratic space in the region.
In recent years, East Africa has witnessed a sharp rise in youth-driven political movements. In Kenya, widespread demonstrations erupted in 2024 after the government proposed controversial tax increases under the Finance Bill.
The protests, largely organised by young people through social media, expanded beyond economic concerns and evolved into broader calls for accountability and political reform.
Although President Ruto accused criminal elements of infiltrating the demonstrations, the pressure eventually forced the government to withdraw the bill.
Since then, protests and civic activism have remained a recurring feature of Kenyan politics, particularly as attention shifts towards the 2027 general election.
Ruto himself has faced criticism from human rights organisations over his government’s handling of demonstrations. Following violent Saba Saba protests in 2025, he publicly ordered police to “shoot in the leg” individuals accused of looting or damaging property during unrest.
In Tanzania, Suluhu’s administration also came under international scrutiny during the disputed 2025 election period, which saw reports of arrests, internet restrictions and violent crackdowns on protesters.
Rights groups and opposition figures accused security agencies of using excessive force against demonstrators and government critics. Tanzanian authorities have repeatedly defended their actions as necessary to preserve order and national stability.
The latest remarks from Suluhu are likely to intensify an already heated regional debate over the balance between public order and democratic freedoms.
For many younger East Africans, frustration over unemployment, corruption and political exclusion continues to fuel demands for change. Governments, meanwhile, increasingly argue that some protests risk sliding into instability and violence.
About the Author
