Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa has cautioned Kenyan leaders to take a lesson from what is happening in Nepal, where demonstrations that lasted for days saw Prime Minister Sharma Oli resign on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
Before his resignation, Oli had been well-liked by the people and had even spent 14 years in prison for his anti-monarchy activism. However, his popularity dipped after his government banned all social networking sites on grounds of improper registration.
What began as a reaction of outrage against online censorship quickly escalated into a wider anti-corruption campaign. Similar to the deadly protests in Kenya, Nepal’s demonstrations also shifted to more overall complaints regarding government corruption and the lack of economic opportunities for the Gen Z.
Demonstrators, in their fury, torched Parliament, the Supreme Court, the private residence of the Prime Minister, and the homes of other top politicians.
Against this backdrop, Senator Thangwa posted a video message on TikTok urging Kenyan leaders to remain humble and answerable to the people. He stressed that listening to the public is critical in a democracy.
“You can be a good person with a lot of vision, promises, but if you do not listen to the people, they will make sure that you listen to them,” Thangwa observed.
He warned that political arrogance could easily backfire.
“This is a lesson to us, the politicians; It doesn’t matter what you do to the people. If you do not listen to them, it can turn against you within a minute,” he said.
Thangwa further advised leaders who believe they know better than their constituents to reflect deeply on their approach.
“This is a call for politicians who think that they know better than the people to think hard, because today you can do something and tomorrow you are not in the office,” he added.
