Kenya has witnessed a heightened wave of protests driven by the country’s Gen Z against the perceived arrogance and opulence of the current administration. The social media campaigns #RejectFinanceBill, #OccupyParliament, #OccupyJKIA, #TokeaTuesday, #Rutomustgo amongst others have catalyzed these movements.
What began as a hashtag on Twitter has evolved into a massive, horizontally organized protest, showcasing the power of digital activism in mobilizing Kenya’s youth.
The protests reflect a growing discontent with the process and criteria for selecting cabinet secretaries, which is perceived to be based on patronage and the re-selection of individuals who served in previous cabinets. This practice has fuelled frustration among the youth, who view it as a continuation of the status quo that prioritizes ethnic alliances over merit and competence.
President Ruto’s response to the protests has also exacerbated factional politics within the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), most notably around Ruto’s decision to try and bolster his popularity by first sacking his entire cabinet, and then appointing ODM representatives to it.
More specifically, Ruto appointed ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, chairman John Mbadi and National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi to his Cabinet. This clearly represented a decision to try and deal with the protests by playing old-style politics, doing a deal with opposition leaders to share power rather than actually implementing the reforms demanded by the Gen Z protesters. In turn, this has strengthened the resolve of many government critics to demand a complete systemic overhaul, further galvanizing people against the regime.
This implies a rejection not just of President Ruto but also of the “usual suspects” elsewhere in the political class, and of the idea that they should desist their activities to create space for a national dialogue. Instead, many in Gen Z see this as a mere tactic by the political elite to blunt the transformative potential of the protests, and to preserve rather than change a system of political representation based more on ethnicity than on the competence of the leaders.
Against this, the protesters rally around the key principles such as being “Leaderless”, “Tribeless”, and “Fearless”, suggesting a mass-centric narrative with a strong connotation of justice and freedom. While the protests reflect the dissatisfaction with the current administration in its entirety, they therefore also reflect a deeper antipathy to the corrupt and unaccountable form of politics that persists despite the introduction of a new constitution in 2010.
In other words, the Gen Z protests do not aim to achieve another power-sharing coalition but rather to dismantle the entrenched systems of patronage and ethnic favoritism, demanding a political structure that values merit, transparency, and genuine accountability.
The power of Kenyan youth
Historically, Kenyan youth have played a pivotal role in political activism, especially during periods of political repression. During the one-party rule under the KANU government, university students often acted as a de facto opposition, organizing protests and challenging the government. Today’s youth, leveraging social media, continue this legacy of resistance. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram have become modern equivalents of the university forums of the past, where ideas are exchanged, and movements are born.
The #RejectFinanceBill, #Rutomustgo #Occupystatehouse, #Occupyparliament campaign is part of a broader trend of social media-driven activism in Kenya. Past movements like #MyDressMyChoice, #EndFemicide, and #WeKnowYourSalary have all demonstrated the power of hashtags in initiating real-world change. These movements reflect what can be described as a “committmental moral revolution,” where digital activism transcends online spaces and leads to tangible actions and reforms.
However, these countrywide protests have seen scores of young lives tragically lost due to police opening fire on demonstrators, and accusation of the use of beatings and other forms of abuse against those in police detention. In turn, this violence has highlighted the broader issue of police brutality and the suppression of dissent in Kenya – further fuelling public outrage.
In the face of such repression, the resilience and determination of Kenya’s youth are particularly striking. Despite the dangers, they continue to mobilize and protest, driven by a vision of a fairer and more just society. Their courage in the face of lethal force showcases the depth of their commitment to change and the critical role they can play in shaping Kenya’s political future.
The impact of social media
Social media has provided a platform for citizens to express their dissatisfaction, organize, and mobilize. It also offered a counter-narrative to mainstream media, which often overlooks or underreports grassroots movements. By amplifying marginalized voices, social media has become a crucial tool in the fight for accountability and justice.
Memes, jokes, and the sharing of elected representatives’ contacts have catalyzed a robust shift, jolting Kenya’s youth into action and fostering a dynamic, digitally-driven protest culture. Indeed, it is hard to imagine how such leaderless and “bottom-up” the protests could have happened in the absence of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and WhatsApp.
The Gen Z protests in Kenya demonstrate the power of digital activism in mobilizing citizens and effecting change. By combining moral outrage with strategic use of social media, Kenyan youth have shown that they are far from apathetic. Instead, they are at the forefront of a new era of political engagement, where digital and physical activism converge to hold elected representatives accountable and push for reforms.
The fact that these protests have already forced President Ruto to drop the Finance Bill announce new anti-corruption measures demonstrates the potential for horizontal, grassroots movements to drive significant political and social change – and this may only be the beginning.
Mikhail Nyamweya is an Msc Candidate in African Studies at the University of Oxford
