On June 25, 2024, a youth-led uprising primarily composed of members of Generation Z, colloquially known as Gen Zs, stormed the Kenyan parliament as legislators voted to pass the Finance Bill 2024 during its third and final reading before presidential assent.
This marked the second countrywide protest against the proposed taxes in the draft law and the perceived excesses in government spending. Gen Z protesters displayed remarkable determination and organization, rallying together in opposition to the bill, which they deemed to be detrimental to their economic well-being and social progress.
The Finance Bill serves as a crucial framework that outlines the mechanisms by which the Kenyan government generates revenue to fund its operations. In this iteration, the government proposed a tax increase on a wide range of essential goods and services, including everyday staples such as cooking oil and bread, in an attempt to raise US$2.7 billion.
Moreover, the bill aimed to capture revenue from digital sources, where many young people generate their income, particularly in the face of persistently high youth unemployment rates.
Kenyan citizens expressed fierce opposition to the proposed Finance Bill of 2024, which would have disproportionately burdened the working class and young people with increased taxes while the government continued to engage in extravagant spending on projects such as the $7.8 million State House renovations.
As early as May 13, 2024, the opposition gained traction with the emergence of the #RejectFinanceBill2024 hashtag on social media platforms. The successful online mobilization ultimately led to a significant demonstration on June 18, which served as a powerful catalyst for the youth-led protests that ultimately culminated in the storming of the parliament building on June 25.
The seeds of Kenya’s recent youth-led protests against the Finance Bill can be traced back to the country’s rich history of organizing and direct action. From the pro-democracy movements of the 1990s that fought for democratic reforms to the courageous environmental activism of Wangari Maathai, who led the charge to prevent the government from encroaching on the country’s precious forest reserves, Kenyans have long been at the forefront of social and political change.
In my opinion, the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests mark a distinct chapter in Kenya’s history of civil unrest for several reasons:
The movement was not spearhead by a singular organization, but rather emerged organically through grassroots organizing and social media mobilization.
The protesters were able to crowdsource the necessary finances, demonstrating their ability to overcome financial barriers that often hinder such movements.
Perhaps most significantly, the protests reveal a growing distrust between Kenyan citizens and the state, indicating a deeper, systemic issue that has the potential to significantly shape the country’s political and social landscape.
The absence of traditional civil society organizations and political parties leading the protests constitutes a significant departure from previous social movements in Kenya. This fundamental shift has multiple implications:
By avoiding the involvement of civil society groups or political parties, the protests cannot be easily dismissed as “opposition politics” or the work of “western-funded NGOs,” as has been the case in past demonstrations.
The focus on shared economic concerns and grievances transcends traditional divisions in Kenyan society, including political affiliation, age, and region.
Mutual aid has emerged as a vital aspect of the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests, with Kenyans raising a staggering US$234,000 as of July 3, 2024. The funds collected through this grassroots effort have not only provided support for injured protesters and families of those who lost their lives in the demonstrations, including covering medical bills and funeral costs, but also enabled access to legal representation and medical care.
This shift from relying on traditional forms of funding to utilizing community-based mutual aid networks underscores the innovative ways in which Kenyans are mobilizing and supporting each other in the face of adversity.
The adoption of a mutual aid framework for funding also enabled the #RejectFinanceBill2024 movement to sidestep issues of ownership and attribution that can often mar similar protests. Without a single source of funding, the movement avoids the allegations of external funding that regimes often use to discredit dissent.
By operating within an amorphous structure, protesters have maintained their focus on the core demand to address systemic governance problems, while also thwarting the classic tactic of co-opting “representatives” that can splinter a movement’s cohesion.
The third element contributing to the significance of the #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests is the stark contrast between President William Ruto’s perceived lack of empathy for protesters and the growing mistrust between the Kenyan government and its citizens.
Ruto’s failure to acknowledge the deaths of protesters during a roundtable conversation with the media on June 31, despite evidence presented by journalists, demonstrated his detachment from the realities and emotions of his countrymen. His tone-deaf initial response to the protests further fueled the narrative that he was unable to discern the urgent calls for change being issued by the Kenyan people.
President William Ruto, once the favored candidate of a significant portion of the electorate, now finds himself facing a significant crisis of leadership as he struggles to maintain the trust of the people who brought him to power.
Despite publicly claiming a commitment to curb extrajudicial killings, his government has failed to prevent the abduction of citizens and the use of brutal force against peaceful protesters. This failure to uphold his promises and protect the people’s rights has led many to question his ability to lead.
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