Youth in Homa Bay County have called on the government to stop profiling them as hooligans when they take to the streets to peacefully demand their rights. Their appeal comes ahead of planned protests on Wednesday in honour of young people who lost their lives during last year’s Gen Z demonstrations.

The concerns were raised during a youth dialogue held in Homa Bay Town, organised by the Community Action for Health and Development (CAHED) in partnership with the Coalition of Homa Bay Organizations on Governance Oversight (CHOGO).

The youth accused both the national and county governments of disregarding constitutional principles, saying they are frequently labelled as criminals for protesting poor service delivery.

According to Harrison Ochola from Sindo in Suba Central Sub-County, police brutality during peaceful demonstrations continues to erode democratic values.

“As youth, we go to the streets because we feel the government is not serving us as it should. But it is wrong for the government to respond with excessive force,” Ochola said.

He stressed the need for the government to respect the rights of young people, saying they should not be punished for exercising freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.

“We are appealing to the government to stop viewing youth as hooligans. This violates the democracy we should be upholding as a country,” he added.

Lavin Ogaya from Homa Bay Sub-County echoed the same concerns, saying the youth deserve to live in a country where they are safe from killings and abductions.

“We need a country where youth are safe,” she said.

Ogaya also criticised both levels of government for failing to act on youth views submitted during public participation forums.

“Our views are taken, but they end up being discarded,” she said.

CHOGO Secretary Nicholas Ouma called for mutual respect between police and demonstrators, urging both sides to uphold peace.

“Police should not be militarized against the youth, and the youth should avoid carrying weapons so that demonstrations remain peaceful,” Ouma said.

CAHED Director David Rabuor took issue with the government for sidelining youth in employment, accusing it of keeping retirees in office while young people remain jobless.

“Many retirees hold government positions while youth continue to suffer unemployment. We want the youth to be prioritized, as required by the constitution,” Rabuor said.

Arujo Location Chief Bob Lang’o also advised the youth to remain calm during protests, warning that violence would derail development efforts.

“Let our youth control their tempers and keep demonstrations peaceful,” Lang’o said.