Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has hit out at former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of what he termed as "exploitation" of young people.
This points to the sharp escalation in the growing political tensions over the youth agenda.
At the same time, CS Murkomen extended an invitation to Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to join the broad-based government.
“You were the president just the other day… But suddenly you’ve become very clever… Now you are the one giving us lectures,” Mr Murkomen said, dismissing the former head of state's recent attempts to rally the youth around governance reforms.
CS Murkomen, speaking in Ukambani — a region considered Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s stronghold — urged Mr Musyoka to consider joining the government.
He pointed out that those who aligned themselves with the broad-based administration, including some ODM leaders who took up government positions, were now reaping the benefits.
“We can work together as Kenyans today as we plan elections tomorrow,” Mr Murkomen said. “This is a broad-based government and it’s as broad as possible… it can accommodate even the Wiper Party.”
President William Ruto assumed office after defeating the Azimio la Umoja coalition in a fiercely contested election. However, after his administration faced violent protests and teetered on the brink of instability, he brought in members of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s party to help steady the government.
Mr Kenyatta, who handed over to the Kenya Kwanza administration in 2022, had by then fallen out with his deputy-turned-successor.
After a decade of working side by side, Mr Kenyatta ultimately threw his support behind Azimio leader Raila Odinga instead of William Ruto in the hotly contested race.
In Ukambani, Mr Murkomen warned against using young people as political pawns, urging leaders from all sides to handle the youth agenda with seriousness and responsibility.
The CS argued that young people should not be weaponised for political gain, warning leaders from across the divide to approach the matter with seriousness and responsibility.
“This exploitation of our young people is not right,” he said. “This is an issue that we must, all of us, act responsibly. Because the youth bulge is not a question of today. It's been happening. But tomorrow also it's going to be worse. We will have higher numbers.”
“This is an area that we must, all of us, close ranks. Because as a nation, we need to deal with the issues of our young people,” he added.
His comments come just days after Mr Kenyatta, who has taken on a more activist role since leaving office in 2022, delivered a fiery keynote address at the second annual Guild Leaders’ Summit 2025 at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
Speaking to hundreds of student leaders from across the region, Mr Kenyatta called on young people to stand up for good governance and resist being enticed by short-term political promises. He described the current political climate as an "independence moment," casting the youth as the final guardians of Africa’s future.
"You have the numbers, you have the time and you have the energy to get involved and stay involved in governance discussions until you effect the changes you wish to see," Mr Kenyatta told the youthful audience, pledging to help raise their political consciousness.
The back-and-forth reflects the deepening generational and ideological contest over the soul of youth politics, with Kenya’s growing Gen Z movement increasingly becoming a political force.
