Gen Z pushes for political change

The youth defy the old elites because of failed economies and systemic decay

- Lenin Ndebele

n some parts of the global South, especially in Africa, protests led primarily by Generation Z have brought about government changes in Madagascar and upended the establishment in Kenya.

Unlike traditional political activism, the youth prefer to describe their movements as leaderless and digital, as they defy the old elites who have led to frustration due to failed economies and systemic decay.

In Kenya last year, Gen Z opposed a proposed Finance Bill that sought to introduce more taxes. President William Ruto was forced to shelve it.

The death of blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang, in police custody, fuelled anger over police accountability. They were back on the streets again.

Hanifa “Farsafi” Adan, a prominent blogger and activist at the forefront of the 2024 riots, told the Mail & Guardian that, like many Kenyan youth, she experienced inequality and injustice from an early age.