By Debra Rono
If there is a day to prove the strength and resilience of Generation Z or GEN-Z then it surely must be on Tuesday during the “Occupy Parliament” protests. We have spent a good amount of time criticizing this lot for how they are overly reliant on technology, lack face-to-face communication skills, have shorter attention spans, are unprofessional etc. One thing we have overlooked is how Gen-Z has utilized its strengths and unique qualities, especially when it comes to activism and fighting for rights.
During the ‘occupy parliament’ protests, Gen-Z showed up in their numbers to fight for the common mwananchi, to the dismay of a lot of people, especially social media users.
I read somewhere that the current state of the economy especially with the introduction of the finance bill 2024, has made ‘baddies’ understand politics and who the Cs for treasury is. Funny as that may sound, I feel like that is a generalized opinion considering that these ‘baddies’ are also educated.
It wasn’t a surprise anymore to find a TikTok influencer breaking down the finance bill on my for you page. That is evidence of how every Kenyan has had enough of what is going on in our country in terms of the state of the economy.
Chanting phrases like “tumechoka” the daunting Gen-Z led demonstrations across Nairobi CBD, and as if that wasn’t enough they still chanted while being ferried to the police station in the back of the police Landrover. And to put the icing on the cake, these children dared to chant inside the police cells while detained!
Maybe I have been a little envious of Gen-z but it is now clear as day that I envy this lot. I belong to the older generation of the millennials, naturally, we are people pleasers, we do not like to talk back to our elders, we do not like to break the laws, and we are natural law abiders.
On the other hand, the generation z will shout if you oppress their rights they will bite back if you bite, they are not afraid of the consequences.
I would like to think that it is because they have grown up in a world where information is readily accessible, allowing them to be well-informed and connected to global movements and issues from a young age but again maybe it is because they have an urge to change the traditional norms and embrace inclusivity and diversity.
I have a sibling, the last born. How that child is not afraid to challenge my parents, especially my father, is dumbfounding. We are used to the parents’ word being final but that child will ask questions and not just questions but hard questions, and somehow, she will get away with it.
One thing that we as a nation need to embrace, is the rise of a generation that is not afraid to call us out, it may come out as loud or disrespectful but that is what will get us in the right direction as a nation. This generation with their strong sense of social justice, will help us call out our leaders on their greediness, corruption and the infringement of human rights.
It is beautiful seeing young people on the streets pushing for the rights of Kenyans rather than being on TikTok dancing to the latest trending song- not that dancing is bad fact dancing is in itself a form of revolution. But, there is something about breaking the traditional norm of seeing the older generation on the street and the younger one watching it on TV.
Despite facing criticism for certain characteristics, Generation Z has consistently proven themselves to be valuable assets in advocating for human rights and driving societal change. Their efforts represent a new wave of activism that is shaping the future landscape of social movements.