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Paper short abstract:

The context of the Kenyan protests, highlighting KEY areas of contention in the Finance Bill 2024, the creativity and innovation in using social media, outcomes of the protests, the lessons learnt thus far and thoughts on cultivating hope amidst the uprising of active citizenship among Kenyans.

Paper long abstract:

June 2024 was a turning point for all Kenyans. The rise of protests, initiated by the young generation, alias ‘GenZ’, was sparked by the controversial Finance Bill 2024 which faced massive rejection by the populace. The Bill sought to increase government revenues through over-taxation of basic commodities such as bread and milk.

Unprecedentedly, to counter it, the Kenyan youth turned to social media to raise awareness using #RejectFinanceBill2024 to amplify the message. Through Instagram, X and Tiktok, the youth coordinated the protests by sharing information in different forms to communicate key details of the protests. Additionally, various professionals including doctors and advocates provided pro-bono services to all the protesting youth, solidifying the unity embodied that ousted any prejudices such as those of tribe serving as a breath of fresh air in our country whose past is tainted by a hostility and violence rooted in tribal politics.

Today, the Kenyan youth are using social media innovatively by creating a database for missing persons, in capturing the atrocities committed by the current government, customisation of GPTs to highlight corruption in Kenyan counties, automation in public participation fora, and in content creation, as they continue to agitate for good governance. The use of hashtags, posters, X spaces and Tiktok challenges are some of the ways in which the protests are being conducted. Presently, the possibility of Starlink penetrating the Kenyan telecommunications market presents an opportunity for increased accessibility to information and security- both data and personal. The fight for a better Kenya continues.