The 'streamed' revolution: Role of social media in anti-Finance Bill protests

Over 110,000 people are engaged in a live audio conversation discussing the next course in the anti-government protests led by Gen Z.

The X Spaces meeting goes on all Wednesday night spilling into Thursday morning.

This has been the major mobilising social media spot since the protests started two weeks ago with a push for Kenyans to come out and reject the Finance Bill 2024.

This call took a turn on Tuesday this week with threats to “Occupy Parliament” being made true.

Parliament passed the Bill. The President, besieged with calls for his resignation, and his administration on the ropes, rejected the Bill sending it back to Parliament.

Yet, there was no relenting for a generation rattled, fed up with a system viewed as having disconnected itself from the truth on the ground with rampant corruption in government, high cost of living and over-taxation being the key points of highlight.

By Thursday the agitation was still rife, showing that the Finance Bill was just a fissure that let loose lava from a boiling volcano.

It has been a fight spearheaded through innovation, with technology leading the way with a headless revolution making its voice hard.

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So big has this been that even after the internet and sections of social media were seemingly throttled down across Kenya on Tuesday night, thousands of supporters across Africa and the diaspora took up the baton.

Over the last several weeks, one would look like they lived under a rock if they kept uploading everyday content on social media.

It has not been the time to post that selfie or throwback vacation photo dump.

For content creators and influencers, even advertisements have been put in the back seat.

The protests started as candid discussions online, which evolved into the mobilisation, sensitization and documentation of the movement in the digital space.

The controversial Bill aimed to raise $2.7 Billion (Sh350 billion) in additional taxes, but activists argued that this would increase the cost of living and stifle the progress of already struggling Kenyans.

The Bill proposed increased levies on basic commodities like bread, vegetable oil and sugar, as and a new motor vehicle circulation tax. There was also an eco-levy on manufactured goods like diapers and sanitary towels and a proposed increase in existing taxes on financial transactions.

“What is this? It’s a walking red flag,” one Content Creator named Nowell posed in a June 11 video that quickly went viral, accumulating over 1.2 million views.

“You’ll be paying delivery service tax, you’ve been thinking you are smart not having to go to the supermarket yourself to buy groceries, and that all it takes is having it delivered, now you’ll be paying a higher delivery fee.”

Nowell added: “Freelance service. Maybe you are a student just trying to make a little money- now you’ll be paying taxes. All rental services and ride-hailing services will increase. Professional service, it doesn’t matter if you are a tout or driver or hairstylist, that is still service, and anything you are doing, you’ll pay that professional service tax.”

The clip, which pointed out more would-be effects of the Bill appeared to shed more light on the matter to youth, especially those who are increasingly consuming most of their news on TikTok.

More content creators began using their platforms to discuss the finance Bill, and as such, their followers became informed, and angered by the tax hikes that would soon turn their lives upside down.

“On X formerly Twitter, the youth quickly mastered creating viral hashtags to unify their message. By developing a catchy hashtag, they made it easy for people to track updates related to the movement, as this hashtag appeared in every relevant tweet,” Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTAnet) reported on how Kenyan youth leveraged social media for a powerful demonstration.

The report added: “Additionally, they engaged key influencers and celebrities to tweet their support, which significantly extended the movement’s reach and added credibility. Organizers also utilized X for real-time updates, sharing live information on protest plans, locations, and progress, thereby keeping participants informed and motivated.”

The #rejectfinanceBill2024 hashtag trended worldwide per the report, helping to rally support and disseminate information quickly.

There has been a state of solidarity among the youth, who, in this matter have been described as brave, a different generation from their predecessors who have been more tribe-inclined when it came to political matters.

The prominent human rights activist Boniface Mwangi called out to Kenyans to take part in demonstrations through social media posts on June 14 in the wake of the increased discussions on the controversial Bill.

The activist, through an Instagram post, called out to the people to rise against over-taxation in a mission dubbed #occupyparliament set for June 18.

“IG Koome to provide police to protect us as he respects Article 37 of the Constitution: The right to protest and picket. Tag a friend, and bring a friend with you. See you at parliament on Tuesday,” Mwangi captioned the post, which was reposted by other organisers and then shared by more youth on social media.

As the heat grew around the finance Bill subject, it became clear that this was a fight filled with more youth than ever before, with a group of Gen Z content creators continuing to fearlessly speak on the matter and rally their counterparts.

One Anini Barasa encouraged youth to take to the streets in protest, arguing that as a young person, she has gone from “reading set-books to living in one.”

“I’m so happy that people are coming out and realizing that we are being stolen from. This government is not for the people,” Anini said in an interview three days into the anti-finance Bill protests.

“What’s giving me strength to continue is the support I am getting from my peers. Let’s get out there and do it peacefully,” she said.

Nyawanga Owuor, another young activist said that the demonstrations are a sign that Kenyan youth are now alert and awakened as to what is happening around them and that they will not stop fighting for their rights.

“The Reject Finance Bill is a movement, but as youth, we are now up, we have a voice and we know that our voice must be heard. We now know that tomorrow is our tomorrow. These politicians and leaders have already set up their lives, and they are destroying our future. If we don’t fight for our rights, no one will.”

As the movement went onto the streets and took more space online, the government appeared to buckle to the pressure briefly, as amendments were made to the Finance Bill.

The proposed 16 per cent VAT on bread, transportation of sugar, financial services, and foreign exchange transactions were removed, as was the 2.5 per cent Motor Vehicle Tax. The increase in mobile money transfer fees and Excise Duty on vegetable oil was also removed.

“President William Ruto said the changes to the Finance Bill have taken into account the views of the people and other stakeholders during public participation sessions. The President commended Kenyans for their contributions through public participation,” a statement on the official website of the president of Kenya read in part.

But the amendments were criticized by a vigilant group of protesters, who argued that the Bill should be rejected, not amended.

So a new working hashtag was born, #rejectnotamend. Anti-finance Bill activists said that the changes were merely a way to distract the people from policies that would hurt them in the long run, and demonstrations continued.

More hashtags used to bring attention to the matter were TotalShutdownKe, Occupyparliament and Tumechoka, among others. The original rejectfinancebill2024 tag has been trending for over a week now on X, formerly Twitter, with a staggering 1.93 million posts.

The anti-finance Bill movement took a frightening turn when there were reports of the use of live bullets by the police, leading to the death of young protesters. There were also reports of politically motivated abductions.

But through it all, the youth maintained a sense of community and unity, and this was also seen through online campaigns to call for justice and bring those who are missing home.

Supporters have come together to raise over Sh14 million through M-Changa Africa. The crowdfunding platform said that the funds would be used to cover medical bills, rehabilitation costs and other needs arising from the demonstrations.

“By strategically leveraging these digital tools, the youth were able to organise effectively, mobilize massive turnout, and sustain their resistance against the controversial finance Bill,” KICTAnet reported.

“This blend of real-time communication, community building, and transparent fundraising demonstrated the transformative potential of digital activism, illustrating how everyday technology can power significant social change.”