Nairobi: In the wake of demonstrations, police excesses, brutality, enforced disappearances, and deaths of youthful Kenyans, also known as Gen Z, the Kenyan tech-savvy youth are steadily reshaping democracy in the country. From the streets to the digital space, including social media, mobile apps, and other online platforms, digital activism to demand accountability in leadership has significantly gained traction. Notably, the voices of the youth are loud enough and have been heard in several instances.
According to Kenya News Agency, eventually, President William Ruto announced the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024 followed by the dissolution of the entire Cabinet, actions that were meant to restore public trust and acknowledge the voices of the young people. Admittedly, since 2024 the hashtags have kept flowing and trending, a demand for change and accountability from the policymakers.
KNA spoke to three young people who have been at the forefront of disseminating civic education to their fellow peers through the digital space. 'Since I joined college, I do not miss any forums for dialogue on governance, from X spaces to Zoom debates, as these digital platforms offer us avenues for engaging the policy and decision makers without fear,' says Lewis Ndirangu, a third-year student at Kiharu Technical College. He notes that he has so far attended four X spaces where MPs and CSs directly respond to the concerns raised by the young people.
'The most memorable and unforgettable X space I ever attended was the one that hosted the President himself at the height of the Gen Z demos. We had a chance to listen and engage with him and this felt like a lifetime opportunity,' he says. According to Ndirangu, who gets most of his policy updates from social media, the online platforms are now doing the work that was once reserved for the chief's public forums (baraza) and town halls.
Echoing similar sentiments, Faith Njeri, a youthful political analyst, opines that social media is not just a venting tool but has been very instrumental in pushing the policymakers into changing some of the policies affecting the people. 'Using TikTok, Telegram, and X and not entirely relying on the mainstream media for updates, we can find gaps in policies and go ahead to demand change and accountability from our leaders,' Njeri says.
She reminisces about a case in point in April when the government introduced a new university funding model and from the uproar raised through social media, an immediate response was released by the Ministry of Education. 'If the young people had been quiet, you can be sure the new model would have been implemented, forcing thousands out of university,' she adds.
The young people aspiring to hold elective positions after the 2027 General Elections have not been left behind either. Using the digital space, they organize meetings and mobilize thousands of followers at the tap of a button. 'To reach my followers and constituents, it would be difficult to even reach all parts but with just one post on WhatsApp, the message is read far and wide without a public rally,' observes Brian Ngugi, a youth leader and an aspiring Member of Parliament in Kandara Constituency, Murang'a.
He says he follows advocacy pages like the Kenya Human Rights Commission on X religiously, so as to understand the reforms being introduced and how they would shape the future of the country. 'As an aspiring leader, I cannot afford to be ignorant. With just a mobile phone and internet data, I have my civic education on the go. It has to be on my fingertips going forward,' he says.
The three agree that Kenya's digitally savvy youth are the shapers of the civic action and while it's not without challenges like misinformation and online harassment, the digital tools are powerful and would continue steering the policymakers into the right direction if used responsibly.