Protests have taught us to be accountable, shun tribalism, says Nassir

@Yobramos4                    

School principals must learn to treat learners differently from how they treated previous generations, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has said. 

Owing to the information age, Gen Z are far more informed than even some of the teachers.

Nassir said Gen Z have realised that their full potential is in the usage of their brains and that they need accountability from the leaders of whatever nature.

“And the question that we need to ask ourselves is, what are the lessons that we need to learn from them? I am a student of the Gen Zs. We need to learn that tribalism has no place in our society today. Purpose does,” Nassir said.

He spoke at the 47th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association conference in Mombasa.

The governor said Kenya today is not the same as yesterday and, likewise, the students are different.

“What has come through is that they also have the capacity to teach you,” he said of the Gen Z, the protagonists of the anti-tax demos that forced President William Ruto to change tune over the Finance Bill 2024.

The governor said it unfortunate that some of the school principals would go back to their schools to face empty desks because the occupiers of the desks were killed during the June 25 anti-tax protests.

“The young generation wants to be able to know that we as leaders in our respective rights need to provide a level of accountability that is acceptable to them,” Nassir said.

He said the young generations want to see there is hope and not flickering lights at the end of the tunnel.

“They want to see a light that will shine brighter today than it was yesterday. They do not want a fragrance of hope but to actually feel and touch hope that there is a better tomorrow," he said.

“And this is the disconnect that has been there between us and the younger generation. They feel maligned, they feel disappointed that they cannot see what has been put in place.” 

He said Gen Z has taught Kenya that tribalism is not the major factor in the country.

“The fact that colour, race, religion, tribe or background did not deter them from coming together to speak with one voice is enough to tell the country that tribalism has no place in Kenya anymore.”

He said Kenya cannot continuously do the same thing and expect different results.

“A leader is a dealer in hope. You need to show that there is hope at the end of the tunnel. We cannot be the ones whose mouths spew nothing else expect tribalism. And we cannot learn from ourselves, learn from the young generation,” Nassir said.

His remarks came a day after Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers called on Gen Z to embrace peace after their message was heard loud and clear.

Speaking at the conference on Thursday, Kuppet deputy secretary general Moses Nthurima said the county is at a defining moment.

“The demonstrations which were held before the current generation were different,” he said.

He said previous regimes printed money to stop the demonstrators but this could not work with the current generation of demonstrators.

Nthurima told the almost 10,000  principals attending the five-day conference that the government must acknowledge the movement is here and urged those in power to listen to the protesters.

He asked the government to also respect the constitution.

"The only way the Kenya Kwanza administration can succeed is to be at the forefront in the war against corruption,” he said.