Photos: YouTube Screenshots\Wikimedia Commons
This was the year in which a youth movement exploded onto Kenya’s political scene, forcing significant concessions from the government.
Nationwide protests from June to August were triggered by the government’s introduction of unpopular tax hike proposals in the 2024 Finance Bill, which lays out the government’s fiscal plans for the year. It reflected the challenges faced by African governments trying to balance revenue generation with discontent felt by citizens hit by high inflation.
The demonstrations led by Gen Z and millennial protesters prompted a violent police response and the deaths of 60 people. It also forced the withdrawal of the bill, and the promise of government reforms by President William Ruto. The president completely overhauled his cabinet, incorporating allies of opposition leader Raila Odinga and, more recently, those of his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
The protests highlighted the power of social media and technology in political mobilization on the continent. Protesters deployed AI chatbots, TikTok live streams, X Spaces and walkie-talkie apps to share information and rally around key issues.
