- But the recent protests witnessed in Kenya by Gen Z have seen social media morph into a key tool for mobilizing the masses.
- The protests dubbed ‘leaderless, tribeless and Partyless’, go down in the history of Kenya as one that caught many by surprise including the powers that be.
Since the advent of social media, the platforms have been basically used for social interaction.
But the recent protests witnessed in Kenya by Gen Z have seen social media morph into a key tool for mobilizing the masses.
The protests dubbed ‘leaderless, tribeless and Partyless’, go down in the history of Kenya as one that caught many by surprise including the powers that be.
Before Gen Z happened, protests were hallmarks of opposition leaders since time immemorial.
From the clamour for multipartisim in 1992, to several post-election demonstrations, the political class was the towering figure in many demonstrations held in the country.
But that was not the same with recent sporadic demonstrations seen across the country.
The Gen Z, born between the mid-1900s and early 2010s, were the face of the anti-government protest in a push that saw them receiving the backing of all and sundry.
Before the infiltration of the goons, President William Ruto, Opposition Leader Raila Odinga, the Church and various stakeholders heaped praise on Gen Z for stepping forward to push for accountability and good governance.
For starters, tens of counties witnessed these protests with thousands of youths taking to the streets to advocate for what they termed as Good governance.
At the heart of this historic well-organized demos was social media, specifically TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The organization, agenda setting and mobilization of the Gen Z demos were held online, a departure from the past when politicians would call press conferences to announce the start or end of demos.
Through the online platforms, the tech-savvy Gen Z spearheaded awareness, coordinated events and shared information in real-time enabling the like-minded group to move in unison countrywide.
Gen Z’s use of social media and technology to mobilize and amplify their voices occasioned a hard nut to crack for authorities keen on taming the protests.
A key pillar of the protest was inclusivity, diversity and commitment to intersectionality.
This made it challenging for one to create a divide among the Gen Zs as they made it clear they would stick together no matter the circumstance to fight against the common goal which is rejecting the Finance Bill and calling for accountable government.
Despite facing criticism and being labelled as the "social media generation", Gen Zs involvement in the demonstrations showcased their deep understanding of global issues and their willingness to take action when it matters most.
They demonstrated to the world that they are against injustices and ready to hold their leaders accountable and demand systemic reforms for a more equitable future.
Gen Z’s active participation in the protest highlighted their passion, resilience and determination to create a better world.
This earned them admiration across many countries in Africa with Uganda and Nigeria Youth following in their footsteps.
As they continue to drive social change, their impact on shaping the future of societies worldwide cannot be underestimated.
The Kenyan Gen Z made their voice heard and for sure it will be difficult for any administration to ignore this youthful population when making key governance decisions.
They have shown the political class that they hold the offices in trust and that they should serve the people with integrity and utmost respect.
As such, all and sundry must embrace the positive lessons from the protests and make Kenya a better place by ensuring those in leadership do the right thing and are accountable to the people.
Laureen Susan is a fourth-year student at Kabarak University.