“Politics is a contact sport. Digital activism is just wanking,” were the words that will probably go down in history as the turning point—with respect to the political landscape of Kenya.
The words, whose utterance have greatly influenced the uprise of a brand new vibrant movement, Gen Z. A well-oiled political caravan composed of tribal-free youths aged between 18 and early 30s determined to coerce the legislators into rejecting the Finance Act 2024.
Previously viewed as lazy, ignorant, keyboard warriors whose opinion didn’t matter in anything, let alone within the tapestry of politics in the country.
It is worth noting that the youths are the majority in Kenya. They account for 18,378,493 (slightly more than 33% of the entire population), according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) making them the most populous age group in Kenya.
For context, most of these youths did not ’participate in the last general elections.
David Ndii, the controversial vocal presidential economic think-tank, may have dismissed the power that the Gen Z wield. His remarks on the X platform (formerly Twitter) irked the youths who were calling out the government for imposing punitive taxes on basic commodities.
Politics is a contact sport. Digital activism is just wanking,
David Ndii
Kenyans on X (KOX), led by Amerix, the opinion shaper who educates his followers on matters male masculinity pioneered a movement, urging members of the platform to make phone calls to their respective legislators to vote no to the Bill. An initiative he began, by sharing the contacts of a few MPs.
Personal contacts, belonging to the MPs, streamed the platform. No one was spared, even the president’s contact was accessible to all and sundry at will.
While some promised to stand with their people, other political dimwits dismissed the public pleas, holding ground that they would do as directed by their parties.
With Ndii still holding on to his opinion concerning the Gen Z, daring them to come out to the streets instead of staying behind their phones. As much as many of the Gen Z knew little about the controversial Act, it didn’t go down well with them.
What started as a simple tweet soon turned out to be a storm in the making. A new movement famed #occupyparliament and #rejectfinancebill2024, gathered pace online and within few days they had clocked more than a million retweets. Soon, they found their way to the international horizon. It could not be ignored.
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| Gen Z demos along Nairobi CBD |
With the help of technology and those who understood it, the finance act was broken down to the simplest form for everyone to understand. Content creators were soon at it coming up with hilarious content about the matter.
The #occupyparliament brigade would soon translate into physical appearance early morning within the capital’s CBD on Tuesday, June 18. Armed with a handkerchief, a bottle of water and placards, they hit the ground running.
The Kenya Kwanza (KK) government had to rethink. They had succumbed to public pressure.
President William Ruto summoned his 'foot soldiers', KK legislators, to the Statehouse, and amendments were soon presented to the public. Some punitive tax proposals were scrapped off from the Finance Act eventually.
However, the Gen Zs have firmly hold their ground and wants the parliament to reject the Act in totality or face public wrath.
Their peaceful demos were sadly disrupted by the brutal force of heavily armoured police officers. One would easily confuse the scenes outside parliament and along the CBD with that of a special units ready to deal with terrorists.
Ambitiously, the youths would not be distracted by any of the intimidations by the law enforcers. They were determined to occcupy the parliament.
The protest from the young energetic Gen Zs is a force to beckon. Notably, catching the attention of the Anonymous, an international group of ethical hackers who warned the Kenyan government from oppressing it’s citizens.
Gen Zs have pledged to rectify the country’s governance system that has for along time been marred with unaccountability and corruption. The protesters have pledged to reject legislators who are pro-finance bill 2024, by denying them audience right from funerals to church services among other platforms.
CS sports Ababu Namwamba was on the receiving end, finding himself between a rock and a hard place as he was booed off the stage, and out of the Carnivore on Friday night at the Last laugh, a farewell comedy night in memory of Fred Omondi, Eric Omondi’s deceased sibling.
“Ruto must go, ”the audience chanted in unison when Ababu took to the stage to present his contribution towards the burial of Fred Omondi.
Dagoretti MP John Kiarie was also met with boos and jeers as he tried to explain to his constituents why he voted yes to the controversial Bill. A casket bearing Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda’s name—probably signifying the end of his political career come 2027—was delivered to his office after he voted yes to the Bill. These are some of the consequences that have befell some of the defiant MPs.
It remains uncertain whether the relentless Gen Zs will back down from their protests as the guideline on the next step of action was released. They have vowed to use every available resource at their disposal ranging from social media platforms to phone calls, physical protests to use of art in a bid to channel their pleas to the government.
First published by Equator Vybez.
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