June 2024 will always be remembered as the time when Kenya’s Gen Z traded their reputation for political apathy for one of tech-savvy activism, giving the government a run for its money.
What began as a rebellion against the controversial Finance Bill 2024 less than a week ago has exploded into a full-blown, smartphone-powered revolution that’s changing the rules of protest in a nation hungry for change.
It all started with TikTok, where young Kenyans, fed up with what they saw as punitive tax proposals, took to the video-sharing platform to voice their frustrations.
Little did the government know that these seemingly harmless dance routines and lip-syncing videos would morph into a nationwide movement that would bring Nairobi’s Central Business District to a standstill.
As the online discontent spread like wildfire across social media platforms, Kenya’s youth set out to prove that they were more than just keyboard warriors.
They created AI-generated protest songs that went viral, custom GPT models to explain the nitty-gritty of the finance bill, and hashtags like #OccupyParliament and #RejectFinanceBill2024 to keep the momentum going.
However, the highlight of the growing protests was a crowdsourced list of MPs’ phone numbers that saw one unfortunate MP report receiving over 30,000 text messages from irate constituents.
Protests Move from Phones to Streets
When the day of reckoning arrived, hundreds of trainer-wearing protesters hit the streets of Nairobi. Unlike the protests of the past, there were no stone-throwing hooligans or chaos-loving mobs.
Instead, the city witnessed a sea of social media-savvy Gen Z armed with nothing more than placards, determination, and an uncanny ability to live-stream even while dodging tear gas.
The protest was a masterclass in decentralized organization. With no clear leadership to target, the authorities were bamboozled.
Sadly, the police engaged protestors with excessive force and brutality to bring what they perceived as “order” to a peaceful demonstration.
Canisters of tear gas were lobbed and shot into crowds in an attempt to dissuade protesters from marching on, but all efforts seemed to galvanize them even more.
Trucks fitted with water cannons were quickly deployed as a crowd-control weapon to push back the masses. With little regard for human life, the police turned the water cannons onto the crowd, dousing people with streams of high-pressure water.
Water in some of these trucks had been infused with a colored dye that is used to tag protestors with the purpose of making arrests once the protests subside.
Nevertheless, even arrests couldn’t dampen the spirits of the empowered Gen Z dissenters. Detained protesters kept posting defiant selfies and encouraging their comrades to keep up the fight.
One arrested “organizer” tweeted from custody, “We have been arrested, but don’t let them get to you; please proceed to parliament.” Talk about commitment to the cause!
The government, caught off guard by this unusual uprising, was forced to take notice. By the end of the day, several controversial tax proposals were dropped.
Still, that was not enough to quell the masses. The goal was never to amend but rather to reject the entire Finance Bill altogether.
Police Brutality Rears Its Ugly Head (Again!)
Unsurprisingly, this did not sit well with the government of the day, and things suddenly took a dark turn. The movement, which had been characterized by clever memes and viral hashtags, was suddenly confronted with the harsh reality of physical violence.
Rex Kanyike Masai, a 29-year-old unarmed protester, became the first casualty of police brutality after allegedly being shot by a plainclothes officer.
Despite efforts to save him, Rex tragically succumbed to his injuries. This in turn sparked outrage on social platforms, with Kenyans mourning him as a martyr under the hashtags #RIPRex and #JusticeForRex. Unfortunately, Rex was only the first of many.
21-year-old Evans Kiratu lost his life after reportedly being hit by a tear gas canister fired by the police. His mother, Ann Wanjiru, spoke of her shattered hopes and dreams for her son, demanding answers from the government.
Whether the government will provide these answers is an entirely different story.
The Power of Unity Prevails
Yet, in the face of adversity, the true spirit of Kenyan patriotism shone. Local businesses and places of worship, like the Jamia Mosque on Banda Street, opened their doors to shelter protesters under siege.
By noon, the mosque’s parking lot had transformed into an aid station, with volunteer medical professionals tending to injured protesters.
Dr. Austin Omondi and Dr. Salim Ishmael spearheaded a remarkable volunteer effort, recruiting doctors and medical professionals to offer their support. By afternoon, medical volunteers had poured in to battle a shortage of supplies caused by the high demand for care.
Back online, Kenyans were quick to praise the businesses and places of worship that provided shelter and aid to protesters. However, the power of social media cut both ways.
Businesses that turned away protesters faced the ire of online activists, spawning a new #Reject and #Occupy movement aimed at holding these establishments accountable.
Even the Holy Family Basilica found itself in the crosshairs of angry Kenyans after allegedly denying shelter to protesters.
In the chaos, some businesses fell victim to misinformation. Ramco, for instance, was mistakenly accused of supplying water for police water cannons.
Kenyans, however, redeemed themselves online, facilitating an outpouring of support for the victims’ families. By Sunday morning, X users had raised over KES 2.2 million for the families of Rex and Evans, surpassing the 2 million target.
Pressure to release protestors also bore fruit after Crazy Nairobian and Dr. Austin Omondi were freed by the authorities.
This digital-to-physical protest is a radical shift in Kenya’s political landscape. It’s no longer about tribal allegiances or political bigwigs calling the shots.
Now, it’s about issues that affect daily lives, with young Kenyans leading the charge armed with nothing more than smartphones and a shared sense of purpose.
