2024 started as a normal year in Kenya with the government busy in the usual activities. However, something was different in the online space. The source of the Generation Z revolution in Kenya.
The normal cries for accountability in government seemed to get more attention online. Most in X formally Twitter and the explosive TikTok. Throughout history, the Kenyan government has faced endemic corruption accusations with most culprits ending up scot-free either due to lack of evidence or collusion in the justice system.
This lack of accountability has seen the country’s debt position rise to over 10 trillion shillings with most of these funds ending unaccounted. The high debt situation has put the country on edge in trying to balance debt payments with taxation. With the government left with no other alternative, and facing the risk of debt default, a rise in taxation remained as the only alternative to generate income.
However, Kenyans have seen their income dwindle with the rise of taxation especially for the minority working class. This is what triggered more cries from Kenyans after the government proposed new taxation measures in the 2024/2025 finance bill on top of the earlier ones. Some of these included a 2.5% for car owners based on the car value and an increase in tax on cooking oil.
The conversation quickly moved from online to the streets after the Members of parliament debated and passed the bill. Most of the Kenyans regarded that as a betrayal of their opposition to the bill with some resulting in targeting MPs’ businesses and homes.
Parliament protests
What transpired in these protests has left the country in a sober mood after the demonstrators invaded the Parliament of Kenya during the 25th June 2024 demonstrations. However, the president was quick to withdraw the finance bill after conceding to the protestors. Although not much damage was witnessed in parliament, the symbolism has made most leaders sober up and call for deep reforms in the country.
Some of the issues Kenyans are raising include the investigation and prosecution of corrupt officials in government, better austerity measures to keep the debt in check, and more focus on young people with a focus being on job creation. One of the differences between these protests from the past is that they are driven on online platforms by normal Kenyans while in the past, they were mostly driven by political leaders.
The fact that they were organized and planned online, the government is in a dilemma on who to engage due to lack of a specific leader. They are organized organically and Instead, rely on the goodwill of the majority of online users. Another difference is the fact that they have been largely peaceful and protestors seem to be informed, educated, and determined.
This new mode of protest has attracted both regional and global attention. To counter them, the government seems to react. An indicator it could have been caught unaware. Some of these reactions include shutting down or slowing down the internet and in some extreme cases kidnapping the big social media influencers.
It is called Generation Z because most of the protestors have been young people in their 20s. This group comprises the largest group consuming social media to its depth.
