February 18, 2025
In the world of politics, elected officials often engage in logrolling to advance their agendas. These behind-the-scene deals create unlikely alliances, turning politicians into strange bedfellows. In the process, they frequently lose sight of their duty to serve the electorate or listen to the public. Direct evidence of the quid pro quo is the frustration and anger expressed by Kenya’s Gen Z in the widespread backlash against Kenya’s Finance Bill 2024.
The protests duped by Gen Z as Occupy Parliament were because of a public outcry against Kenyans’ proposed Finance Bill 2024, which introduced new taxes that threatened to increase the cost of living. The frustrated youth came out in droves, their voices flustered but resolute as they demanded economic reforms and transparency from the government. The youth paid a high cost with several lives lost, having faced a range of oppressive measures including widespread police brutality, arbitrary arrests, and abductions. The wave of activism experienced was a tell-tale sign of the growing political awareness among Kenya’s younger generation, who refused to be silenced in the face of policies they deemed unfair.