In June of 2024, the groundswell of Gen Z outcry boiled over into the streets and culminated in murderous human rights abuse in which the police shot and killed scores of youths outside Parliament.
The youths, for long considered aloof and uninvolved, demonstrated their capacity to mobilise on social media, and to make their views known to MPs and President William Ruto.
In the days that followed, a general consensus flourished that debunked widely held perceptions that Gen Z were comfy urban brats too selfish for any public-spirited endeavour.
But they have gone a step further. In the mini-elections last week, a number of ambitious youths made the positive decision to get involved by presenting themselves as candidates.
The results, predictably, have been very disappointing.
In Kasipul constituency, a 26-year-old software developer garnered a humbling 26 votes. The winner, a fellow Gen Z, Boyd Were of ODM, got about 17,000 votes.
The Gen Z candidates who were not successful will have learnt that joining political parties, which have structures, provide logistical and financial support.
Running as an independent without a campaign budget will likely end in frustration and or tears.
The learning curve will be steep but it is a course worth pursuing.
Quote of the day: “Nothing stops the man who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscle. It’s a strengthening of his powers of accomplishment.” —Scottish essayist and historian Thomas Carlyle was born on December 4, 1795
