Kenya’s Gen Z has captured local and global attention through its novelty in organising demonstrations. Its winning strategy was to go cyber, to remain ‘leaderless’, to out-think government officials, and to stress faith in constitutionalism. It sought to assist parents and grandparents from the prevailing scourge of fear that pushed the older generations into perpetual silence amidst blatant wrongdoing and bad policies. Members, cutting across class, religious, and regional/ethnic lines, saw themselves as ‘revolutionaries’ of attitude, forcing change in the official mindset. Disappointed in the way that officials, whether elected, appointed or even religious, handled public affairs, they decided to act.
They did not simply make demands, they struggled to avoid being reckless, despite provocation. They did this in different groupings, ranging from gathering in churches and university campuses to cyber spaces. Having read books that raised social consciousness, and having acquired technical skills in cyber operations, they turned combined knowledge and skill into an instrument of ‘revolutionising’ consciousness. Pointing out that President Ruto was a naked ‘king’, they became the centre of either admiration or envy from established politicians who would have wanted to get the credit for organising such effective demonstrations. Their proud parents, at times worried, gave them moral support.
Dr Ruto ignored warnings that all was not well, especially about Finance Bill 2024 which appeared punitive and designed to increase the opulence of the Hustler Grandees and their seeming insensitivity to public gripes. Ruto insisted on people paying new taxes as he talked of his UAE ‘friends’ providing a luxury jet for his travel to America. Molo MP Kuria Kimani asserted that taxes on bread would reduce obesity. ‘Engineer’ Oscar Sudi displayed financial muscles in Harambees. Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah, shepherding the Finance Bill through Parliament, campaigned to buy a new presidential jet and even hired helicopters to travel less than 40km from Nairobi to Thika. Gen Z had cyber-mobilised and staged demonstrations, initially stressing ‘Reject’ the Finance bill.
Despite public pleas, many legislators passed the Financial Bill and intensified the demonstrations. Three reasons explain the MPs’ behaviour: Fear of offending Ruto, corruption involving up to Sh2 million bribe each, and incompetence in which one legislator claimed he was asleep when he voted ‘Yes’. Some Gen Zs entered Parliament, publicised private details of offending MPs, and reportedly ‘visited’ the ‘interests’ of selected legislators. Snipers fired at the demonstrators and the police appeared helpless as fire broke out in Parliament and City Hall; intensifying the growing crisis.
The admiration and concern went beyond Kenya’s borders as world print and electronic media devoted space to covering Kenya’s violence and police brutality. Ruto’s government was perplexed, acting tough and giving limited concessions. He deployed the military only to return the next day to announce ditching the Finance Bill. The tone of the demonstrations changed as it evolved from rejecting taxes to demanding Ruto’s resignation. There was also effort to hijack the demonstrations in two ways. First, sponsored goons infiltrated them so much that they appeared violent. Second, since there were no identifiable leaders, 31-year-old Charlene Ruto offered to lead the youth, and paraded other ‘youth leaders’, to diffuse the demonstrations and drum support for her father.
The hijacking, violence and infiltration, seemingly forced internal reflection and worry about the country sinking into abyss. They remained determined to keep pressuring public officials to respect the Constitution and to be accountable. This they would do by intensifying cyber campaigns, registering to vote in big numbers, and to recall legislators for abuse of office. Castigating corruption within religious entities, they still showed respect for religious leaders of integrity. They provoked moral/ethical consciousness and made the ‘elders’ proud of their effective and ‘revolutionary’ approach to demonstrations.
