GEN Z.
By Peter Mwibanda
NAIROBI .
Kenya is facing a dangerous democratic backslide.
What began as peaceful protests by Gen Z youth calling for transparency and accountability has escalated into a violent standoff between the state and its citizens.
Police have responded with excessive force — abductions, unlawful arrests, tear gas, and live bullets — echoing colonial-era tactics.
The 2010 Constitution, once seen as a progressive promise, is now openly violated. Institutions meant to protect citizens are failing.
Rights groups like the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) have reported a surge in police brutality.
Despite this, no meaningful action has been taken. Impunity now defines authority.
Parliament has become a rubber stamp for the executive. Laws are passed with little public input, and leaders are silent or complicit.
The Judiciary has been slow and passive. Courts delay habeas corpus rulings while victims of abduction have nowhere to turn.
This breakdown in justice has emboldened security agencies to act without fear of consequence.
Amid the chaos, Gen Z has stepped up. Young, fearless, and digitally connected, they have taken the lead in demanding good governance.
They reject tribalism and political affiliation. Their message is clear: justice, dignity, and accountability.
Inspired by South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement, they have revived resistance slogans like “Amandla! Awethu!” — power to the people.
Protest art, music, and online mobilization reflect a deep historical and cultural awareness.
Kenya stands at a crossroads. The state’s use of force and institutional decay threaten the future of democracy.
Gen Z’s demands are not extreme. They are a call for the country to live up to its constitutional ideals.
Where are the voices of reason — the clergy, elders, and legal professionals?
Their silence is complicity.
This is more than a protest. It is a generational awakening.
If history has taught us anything, it’s that states which brutalize their youth lose moral legitimacy.
The time for reform is now. The world is watching.
Kenya’s democracy is on trial — and its youth are the prosecutors.
Ends.
