Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has issued a chilling warning about the direction Kenya is heading, declaring on X that “Githurai is our new Gaza” as protests over fuel price hikes continue to claim lives with little public outcry.
“Githurai is our new Gaza. Human life has never been this cheap. Gracious Lord, Hear Us.” Moses Kuria on X
The Lebanese Civil War Analogy
To illustrate the danger of desensitisation, Kuria drew on the history of the Lebanese civil war, describing how prolonged conflict eventually stripped violence of its shock value. He painted a vivid picture of Beirut residents dining in restaurants while gunfire erupted outside — not from courage, but from resignation — warning that Kenya risks reaching the same psychological breaking point.
At the current trajectory, he argued, Kenyans will come to view street demonstrations and the deaths that accompany them as a normal, socially acceptable part of life — a normalisation he described as deeply alarming.
Nine Unverified Deaths, Four Officially Confirmed
Kuria cited nine deaths he claimed occurred during last week’s unrest, lamenting that the figure had barely registered in public discourse. Official reports have confirmed four fatalities on May 18 — the day matatu operators launched a strike against a 23.5% diesel price hike — with clashes reported in Githurai and other flashpoint areas involving looting and torched vehicles.
His most damning observation was the silence: nine lives lost, he said, and “no one even talks about it.”
Backlash: “Address Police Actions First”
The Gaza comparison ignited immediate backlash on X. Many Kenyans accused Kuria of hypocrisy, given his political history, and demanded that any conversation about protest deaths begin with accountability for the conduct of security forces—not comparisons to international war zones.
Tensions remain elevated across Central Kenya, particularly in Thika and Embu, where demonstrations have continued. The 23.5% diesel increase that triggered the matatu strike has not been reversed, and further protests have not been ruled out.
