Over the past few weeks, Kenya has seen unprecedented protests across the country, initially focussed against the contentious Finance Bill, 2024 but subsequently morphing into demands that the government curb rampant corruption and end the flaunting of the ostentatious lifestyles of several prominent politicians.
Much of that focus has been targeted at William Ruto, the President who was elected on a campaign focused on improving the lives of hustlers, those doing whatever job or trade will make them enough to get by.
The movement has been driven by what is colloquially known as Gen Z, those born between approximately 1995 and 2010 and who make up a significant proportion of Kenya’s population.
What is different about these protests from those that have come before is that they are not instigated or coordinated by any political figures and are widespread across the country. The protesters are noted for being articulate, informed, technologically adept and largely unmotivated by tribal heritage.
So, what is the fundamental fuel of the protest movement that forced the withdrawal of the Finance Bill and has prompted the elected members of parliament who supported it to go into hiding?
The answer is simple, corruption, which is perceived to have become worse under the Kenya Kwanza-led government. It does not require very much effort to notice that the only focus of the traffic police is the passenger and good vehicles travelling along major arteries, each stopping only long enough to pass something to the police officer before moving on with no inspection whatsoever whilst senior officials fly round in Land Cruisers whilst their acolytes force mere mortals aside.
These are just some of many examples of public structures and systems being infiltrated and captured by the corrupt and every single one of those institutions' ability to deliver their mandated services is compromised and this is what Gen Z are no longer willing to accept.
Everyone has a story of how they have been personally affected, being forced to pay for medical treatment to avoid inexcusable delays, to get into schools and universities of choice or to have a chance of getting meaningful employment.
It is perhaps this last area that frustrates this generation the most, statistics indicate that 65 per cent of the population are under 25 years of age and have unabridged ambition whilst seeing limited opportunity in an economy under significant pressure largely due to leakage of funds.
The questions these activists now ask themselves is how their elected leaders can afford to acquire and flaunt extravagant cars, clothing and accoutrements whilst in the same breath voting for increased taxation on the most essential of goods and commodities.
There are really only few limited answers; they have inherited significant wealth, been remarkably successful in business before entering into politics or what is perceived as the most likely answer, they have become wealthy through corruption and abuse of their office.
There have been mentions of this being an Arab Spring-type moment, when the populous throws off the tyrannical chains of oppression, but I don’t think that is where we are. Kenyans want opportunity and transparency, they want to be able to have the chance to realise their hopes, dreams and ambitions without the need to cross someone’s palm or to be treated differently because of their ethnicity or affiliations.
Much of Africa is watching this, the aspiring young African leaders of the future think differently from their forebearers and have embraced technology and its almost limitless potential application in what will soon become the world’s most populous continent.
The government of William Ruto still has the opportunity to turn this around, to accept that they represent their constituents and are effectively their servants. This is not overly complicated but begins with a foundation of complete transparency that covers the spectrum of public services and ensures that every young man and woman can go about realising their ambitions without the need to seek favours, to bribe or to degrade themselves.
This requires that those public officials who steal, divert or misappropriate, not only face the full force of the law in terms of criminal prosecutions but are stripped of their assets, dismissed from their jobs and forfeit their pensions. Do that and then we have a foundation to build upon.
Consultant on anti-corruption