"We the People Are Watching": Dr. Njenga Claps Back at Government Over Social Media Warnings

By Sebastian Karani, DMCP | EoK Reports

Photo: Dr. John Njenga Karugia, PhD - X

A fiery response from renowned scholar Dr. John Njenga Karugia has ignited online discussions after top government officials warned Kenyans against "abusing social media platforms." The recent wave of warnings comes in the wake of heightened public scrutiny over governance, corruption, and police brutality among other issues affecting the common people.

Dr. Njenga, a respected voice in Transregional Memory Studies and social commentary, didn’t mince his words as he fired off a series of tweets countering what he described as the hypocrisy and selective outrage of Kenya’s political elite.

“Kenya's political class should stop accusations against Kenyans regarding the use of social media. We the people use social media to protest corruption, police brutality, mismanagement of resources. Remove the logs from your eyes first so that we have no reason to complain.”

— Dr. John Njenga Karugia

The statement comes after Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Kipchumba Murkomen, and other senior government officials issued a series of warnings against what they termed as "irresponsible use of digital platforms" to attack state institutions and leaders. Murkomen particularly emphasized that those "misusing" social media would be monitored and held accountable.

But Dr. Njenga, known for his unapologetic stand on truth and justice, argued that citizens are merely responding to systemic failures and using digital spaces to express their frustrations.

In another tweet written in a blend of English and Swahili, he satirically dismantled the double standards of the political elite:

“Wananchi wanasema msikunie hapa nyinyi mnakunia kwa sababu nyie wakubwa. Wananchi wanasema mavi yenu yananuka. Nyie mnasema wananchi waache kupumua. Mnaonya wananchi eti mavi yenu ni matamu, ila mapua yao ndo yenye kasoro. Achaneni na shosho media tuchambue anasa ya mavi yenu.”

— Dr. Njenga Karugia

In this poetic but scathing critique, he underscores the hypocrisy of leaders who benefit from public resources yet gag citizen dissent.

And with tongue firmly in cheek, Dr. Njenga concluded:

“Kenya's political class are also registered scholars of vawulence at Faculty of Vayolens. They enjoy pure vawulence just like We The People. As good students we also learn vawulence and meme studies from them. So, please, we do not wish to be warned about such sweet vawulence.”

— Dr. Njenga Karugia

These tweets reflect the growing unrest among Kenyans who feel that leaders are becoming increasingly intolerant of criticism while failing to address the issues at the core of public anger—corruption, nepotism, police abuse, and misuse of state resources.

As online protests grow louder, Dr. Njenga’s remarks serve as a timely reminder of the need for leaders to listen, reflect, and reform, rather than threaten and silence.

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