Kenya’s renowned Hollywood actress Lupita Nyong’o has voiced strong criticism of President William Ruto’s administration for its handling of recent anti-government protests.
These demonstrations, which took place from June to August 2024, were primarily triggered by public outrage over the Finance Bill 2024 and escalating living costs. The protests resulted in numerous casualties and disappearances with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki confirming 42 deaths, 132 missing persons, and 1,208 arrests. This official acknowledgement has intensified debates surrounding the government’s approach to managing civil unrest. In a candid BBC interview, Nyong’o draws unsettling parallels between the current political climate and the oppressive era of former President Daniel Arap Moi.
The actress’s father, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, had suffered imprisonment and torture during Moi’s regime for his opposition to the government. Lupita expresses her dismay at the resurgence of tactics she had hoped was consigned to history. The Ruto administration has faced considerable domestic and international scrutiny for its approach to quelling the protests. Major cities across Kenya, including Nairobi and Kisumu, witnessed chaotic scenes as police clashed with demonstrators.
The government’s admission of protest-related fatalities was received with heavy censure. Nyong’o expresses deep concern for Kenya’s future and the uncertainty surrounding its democratic trajectory. Nyong’o’s connection to the protests extends beyond political commentary, rooted in personal experiences from her childhood. She recounts the fear and confusion her family endured during her father’s disappearance under Moi’s rule, drawing parallels between those traumatic memories and the struggles of today’s youth fighting against a system they perceive as failing them.
The 1980s were particularly challenging for the Nyong’o family. Lupita’s uncle, also an activist, disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and his body was never recovered. The family believes he was killed for his activism, a tragedy that left an indelible mark on the actress. Nyong’o also expresses admiration for the courage of contemporary protesters, many of whom are part of the “Gen-Z” movement. She acknowledges their bravery and draws parallels to her father’s generation of activists.
