On Tuesday, a pivotal moment unfolded in Kenyan politics as a wave of Gen Z demonstrators converged on Nairobi’s streets to Occupy Parliament during protests against the anti-Finance Bill 2024, bringing the Central Business District to a standstill.
Armed only with their smartphones and placards, these young activists courageously marched through tear gas amidst heavy paramilitary presence, advocating fervently for their rights. They peacefully traversed city streets, chanting demands for MPs to reject the bill scheduled for Thursday.
In response, some sections of the government hastily attempted to implicate former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu in the protests, suggesting collusion with activist Boniface Mwangi to orchestrate the demonstrations.
Gordon Opiyo, dismissing these claims, remarked, “It’s absurd to mislabel hired individuals as Gen Z. Ngunjiri Wambugu paid a group of youths and a few women, alongside Boniface Mwangi’s regular demonstrators, and coordinated media coverage to exaggerate incidents like stone throwing, portraying them as acts of heroism on Twitter.”
This accusation drew swift rebuke from online commentators, highlighting the failure of Kenya Kwanza politicians to link Opposition leader Raila Odinga or President Uhuru Kenyatta to the protests, instead targeting Ngunjiri Wambugu and Boniface Mwangi.
Pauline Njoroge critiqued, “After struggling to connect Raila and Uhuru to today’s protests, they settled on blaming Ngunjiri Wambugu and Boniface Mwangi. Next, they might blame someone else. This is the result of denial and living in an echo chamber.”
Wahome Thuku pondered, “What will William Samoei Ruto do with Gordon Opiyo? Assuming he even knows who he is. You can’t sideline a graduate from 1999 forever and allow him to deceive everyone into thinking he’s advising your administration.”
Addressing Opiyo, Kihuria Wa Ndorogo asserted, “This generation is sharp. They’ve benefited from Kibaki’s free primary education, Uhuru’s 100% transition to higher education, yet face a government that ignores their concerns while delivering little.”
The Tuesday revolution began on social media, where young Kenyans voiced their discontent with the Finance Bill 2024. Gen Z, encompassing those born from the mid-1990s to early 2010s, comprised a significant majority of the demonstrators, all under 30 years old.
