How Kenyan Gen-Z brought about a political rejuvenation

In June 2022, Kenyan President William Ruto ran on the promise of poverty eradication, reducing inequality, and elevating the people from the “bottom” to the “top” economically. His signature moniker ‘Hustler’ served to endear himself to the people as a man of the people and someone who had the country’s best interests at heart. His supposedly humble beginning, which saw him rise from a chicken seller to a powerful politician, resonated with many in a country where inequality runs rampant. 

Many Gen-Z like myself saw it as a political renaissance of some sort: we viewed it as a new dawn, far from the “dynasties” who were plundering the country. The “dynasties” in question were children and descendants of founding rulers who had deeply entrenched themselves in the country’s ruling class.

Less than two years later, he is deeply embattled and his rule has been shaken to the core. He dropped a slew of tax hikes that threatened to make life harder for the average Kenyan; he sacked his entire cabinet, and top police chief (who later resigned) was accused of overseeing the use of live bullets on peaceful protesters that left at least 40 people dead. The hope that I had in him is gone and all that remains is disillusion. 

How did we get here?

To qualify for more funding and loans from the International Monetary Fund to fund an ambitious budget, Ruto needed to find the money for his expensive budget – eliminating poverty and repaying his predecessor’s debts wasn’t a cheap pledge. The obvious approach – at least the one he took – appeared to be to squeeze the middle class. Only 17% of people in Kenya work in a formal capacity. It appears that the thinking was that such a minority would have little impact on elections and would not cause problems.

The government grossly miscalculated and young professionals fresh in the workforce started organising under the tag #RejectFinanceBill2024, first from social media platforms like X and TikTok and finally on the streets. 

It was an “African Spring” of sorts that caught the political class completely unaware. The era of tolerating a system that choked the average citizen was over.

Several loyalist MPs allied to the President disparaged the young protesters by calling them an “iPhone, KFC, and Uber” generation. The politicians refused to believe that the “cool kids” (a term used for children brought up in a middle-class setting) were in the streets protesting. 

Protests in Kenya are usually associated with tribal politicians who rally members of their ethnicities to riot and this particular protest came as a shocker. However, these new protests are distinct because they are being spearheaded by an organic, seemingly leaderless movement that has neutralised the previous ethnic differences that politicians leveraged to their advantage.

The protests

On 25th June, protesters seized control of Parliament in Nairobi, setting a portion of it on fire, looting its chambers, and compelling lawmakers to evacuate via underground tunnels. The beleaguered President then responded with force as his security forces retaliated violently, shooting demonstrators with live ammunition, apprehending a large number of activists and suspected protest leaders, loading them into unmarked vehicles, and driving them to unidentified destinations. He then held them incommunicado with no access to communication with their families and without legal representation. 

The contentious tax hikes included suddenly increasing taxes on petrol and housing which could have pushed the price of most basic items over the roof. The bill had provisions to levy a new annual 2.5% tax on cars and to increase taxes on mobile money transfers and bread by 16%. The proposal also suggested an eco-tax on goods that are thought to be bad for the environment, such as plastics, tires, and packaging. 

This would have raised the price of basic items such as diapers, sanitary towels, laptops, and cell phones. A new 16% VAT was also proposed for certain financial services and foreign exchange transactions, among other taxes that Kenyans felt were suffocating. The measure also wanted to tax revenue from running digital marketplaces and producing digital content that would have affected freelancers. 

These punitive measures would have affected everyone including low-income ordinary citizens who rely on cheap services and gigs to make ends meet. As a part-time freelancer, the measure hit home in a huge way. That meant, whatever l was getting from my forays, the government would want a share. No social security or even free healthcare was part of the compromise. 

World Bank economists and other influential figures have shown analysis that tax policies and government expenditure policies in high-income economies cushion their poor from economic shocks, and on the other hand, make life unbearable in poor households in low and middle-income economies which in turn makes them poorer. 

At the moment, Kenya spends more of its national income on debt repayment than it does on social security, healthcare, and education altogether. This increases the risk of escalating inequality and impoverishing the poorest citizens of the nation even more. As a young person who depends on government services to work smoothly, such glaring inequalities risk disenfranchising me and pushing me down the upward mobility ladder. Prospects of a better life in the country become even thinner.

The issues and demands

Wanton and state-tolerated corruption was also one of the main issues that galvanised youths to hit the street. Several senior and junior governmental officials have been seen on social media flaunting wealth like posting TikTok videos of their expensive SUV Cars while dancing to the background of gospel music, counting wads of cash in US dollar bills, and flaunting their exotic limited pieces watches. That wealth is believed to have been acquired in a questionable manner since most don’t have any proof to support their expensive taste. Protesters decried the greed and gluttony in which public officials seemed to eat into the public coffers.

Most officials reject the notion that their wealth is ill-gotten and insist they are ‘business people’ albeit with no known businesses in their names. Adrian Blomfield, a British journalist living in Nairobi, characterised Ruto’s approach to corruption as a misjudgement.

Among the key demands issued by the protesters was taming runaway corruption and reducing the executive wage bill – in which Kenyan MPs are earning as much as their counterparts in developed economies, but have little to show when it comes to economic output, unemployment, equitable access to national resources and reducing the cost of education. 

Most protesters decried the poor job market which forces them to turn to either freelance or go abroad to the Gulf countries in order to get a chance at upward mobility while politicians continue lavishing themselves through the national kitty.

Instagram posts showcasing the associates of Ruto flaunting their fancy watches and fleet of Range Rovers haven’t done much to help the President portray himself as a man of the people. 

By using a private aircraft to travel to the US last month and turning out in public with a £3,000 belt – more than the average yearly salary of a Kenyan – he did little to further his own cause. One flashy MP had to issue a rare clarification after he was spotted flaunting a £120,000 designer watch on a live TV show, a huge sum by all means in a country like Kenya.

The effects and outcomes

Government operatives and paid bloggers termed the protest as a passing cloud. Our protests were not in vain. First of all, the president was forced to drop the unpopular tax hike. Most people said it was a little bit too late but nevertheless something was done. He called for a “national dialogue” to chart the way forward. MPs ditched their flag adorned fuel guzzlers complete with escort for regular vehicles. Overlapping, which was their hobby, was quickly shelved and they had to brave the traffic just like others.

Some MPs had their businesses ransacked and looted while others had their own homes set ablaze. Their personal numbers and contact information were leaked online and people spammed their phones with a huge number of calls and sms that rendered them unusable. 

Some apologised and some even said they would not seek elective seats anymore. Politicians find themselves in the unusual position of being shunned by society. In addition to attacks on their properties, several have had invites to gatherings revoked, hotel bookings cancelled and when they show up at churches, crowds have walked out.

The embattled President scrapped several positions in his government that benefitted his wife and relatives, banned fundraisers in rural areas that incentivised corruption, attended an X space where he was grilled about the competency of his own government, attended a televised live interview with the leading media houses and cancelled all his trips abroad.

He also sacked all his cabinet members sparing just the Foreign Minister who holds another position which is equally unconstitutional. Ruto’s legislative plans are now substantially hampered, and his chances of winning reelection in 2027 are badly damaged, as chastened MPs are now very unlikely to support any presidential measures that are even slightly contentious.

The resilience of Gen-Z in rejecting all forms of gaslighting, violence and state sanctioned violence has been hailed as heroic as it transcends all forms of class. The political class has been put on notice and it’s either work for the people or ship out. Several similar protests are being organised around the continent. The jury is already out. We refuse to be defined by politicians’ interests and we will rightfully fight for what’s ours. The old guard is gone and the new guard takes over. Failure to serve the people would only invite dissent. As we look forward to a renewed political system, the future looks promising.