“They Want to Scare Us Silent”: Maraga Slams Ruto Government’s ‘Terror Charges’ Against Gen Z Protesters

In a powerful and alarming rebuke of the Kenyan government’s crackdown on youth-led protests, former Chief Justice David Maraga has condemned the rising number of terrorism charges being levied against young demonstrators, many of them Gen Z, as a calculated tactic of intimidation and control. 

Speaking on Wednesday, July 16, Maraga didn’t hold back. He accused President William Ruto’s administration of using the weight of Kenya’s anti-terrorism laws to silence dissent, crush protests, and frighten a generation into submission. 

“These are 18-year-old youth being branded terrorists in situations where there’s no tangible evidence of a terrorist act,” Maraga said, visibly angered. “This is not about justice, it’s about creating terror among the youth and their families.” 

His comments come in the wake of a disturbing new wave of arrests and terrorism-related charges stemming from the anti-government protests that have rocked the country since June 2025.  

Just hours before his statement, eight young protesters were charged with terrorism at Kahawa Law Courts.  

Their alleged crime? Participating in a protest following the controversial death of Albert Ojwang, one that allegedly led to the burning of the Mawego Police Station in Homa Bay. 

According to reports, the eight had initially been detained under custodial orders from Oyugis Law Court, only to be re-arrested on July 14 after the closure of a miscellaneous application. They were then swiftly transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) headquarters in Nairobi for further interrogation. 

“This is systemic weaponization of the law,” Maraga emphasized. “These charges are designed to deny the accused bail. Whether the courts can prove them or not is irrelevant, the goal is to traumatize them, to break their spirit in custody.” 

The former Chief Justice warned that this level of repression not only breaches basic constitutional freedoms but also reveals how fearful the state has become of the mobilized youth. “They want to stop this youth revolution before it gains more momentum,” he cautioned. “But it won’t work.” 

The judiciary veteran’s fiery criticism comes amid growing concerns over the government’s approach to protests, particularly involving the younger population.  

Only a week prior, 37 individuals, including two close allies of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, were also slapped with terrorism charges after alleged involvement in violent demonstrations that damaged multiple government buildings in Kikuyu, including courts, probation offices, and police posts. 

The use of such serious charges against unarmed youth protestors, civil rights advocates argue, reveals a deeper desperation within the state machinery, a panic triggered by the rise of a politically conscious and digitally united Gen Z. 

As the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit continues to detain more suspects and pursue further terrorism-related prosecutions, questions mount over the legality, proportionality, and long-term implications of this government strategy.  

Will Kenya’s youth be silenced, or has the crackdown only served to galvanize a new generation of resistance?