Gen Z revolt presents Kenyans chance to reflect on governance

Gen-Z protestors picketing in Kakamega on July 2, 2024. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

If any Kenyan had fallen into a “Rip Van Winkle” sleep three weeks ago and woken up today, they would not recognise the Kenya they’ve woken up to.

The much-maligned Finance Bill 2024 is dead. Parts of Parliament are burnt by protesters. MPs have publicly apologised to the people for passing the impugned Bill.

The President has attended two bruising interview sessions, one with hard hitting journalists and another with unrelenting youngsters on X Space. The IEBC, which had been in limbo for two years, is headed towards reconstitution.

The Cabinet has been dissolved.  A new word, “broad-based political mechanism”, has entered our political lexicon, and a government of national unity is on the cards. All these events have occurred courtesy of an unexpected uprising by young Kenyans, now popularised as Generation Z, though the bulk are Millennials, hence the term Zillennials.

These young people, using the power of their numbers and digital tools not previously used with such momentous success elsewhere in the world, have made government listen to the cries of its citizens in a refreshing manner.

To his credit, the President has recognized the enormity of the crisis and surprised friend and foe by implementing confidence building measures that grant him and his team time and space to work on fundamental issues that brought us here.

As many have correctly diagnosed, this revolt was not about the Finance Bill but about fundamental political and economic governance issues that have bedeviled the country for a while, but which came to a head in this administration.

I find it fascinating when leaders in previous governments hypocritically revel in the current goings on, unwilling to admit that they carry the hugest responsibility for the problems we face today. Story for another day. 

This crisis grants us a rare chance for self-reflection and an opportunity to press reset on project Kenya. I trust that this is happening at all levels of leadership. The optimist in me believes the changes we are seeing are not smoke and mirrors; that government will implement fundamental governance and economic reforms, not just because there is pressure, but because it is the only way for Kenya to be sustainable. The missing link in this discourse is self-reflection by the citizenry.

We are so busy pointing fingers at the leadership that we have not recognised that we, as a people, played a supportive role in the collapse of project Kenya.

Granted, leadership has a predominant responsibility in shepherding the country towards good governance. It is a general truism that when leadership acts rightly and justly, citizens tend to follow.

But the level of rot currently ailing our country arose not just from the leadership, but also from active citizen participation through acts of commission and omission. For instance, every five years, Kenyans have had opportunity to refresh the leadership at all levels.

Every election, Kenyans troop to the polls and elect and reelect people who they know to be underserving of leadership. They demand money from those standing for elections and then expect to be served with diligence. 

I refuse to accept that these voters are helpless victims without agency. If there is anything the Gen Z revolt has taught us, it is that citizen power is impactful. When it comes to appointments season, we are the same Kenyans more interested in our person being in the centre of power than their character or reputation. The corruption that dogs our nation is not the preserve of leadership.

Indeed, many Kenyans fail to engage in corruption only because they lack opportunity, not because of a moral aversion. The lack of civic responsibility is obvious in many places including the way we wantonly mess our environment and desecrate public spaces. I could go on and on.

If we are to truly reset Kenya, this season of self-reflection requires a “mea culpa” moment where citizens agree, to use biblical terminology that “we have all sinned and fallen short”.

Granted, the major “mea culpa” is demanded of leadership, but if we, citizens, fail to acknowledge our part and commit to be different, we will be back on this rut in not too long. Let us not lose this opportunity.

-The writer is advocate of the High Court