“In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy.” With the ongoing Gen Z protests in Kenya, could this be the problem we are facing in our politics? Spoken by industrialist J Paul Getty in the mid-20th Century and typically associated with business, the goings-on in Kenya’s political landscape would appear to show the quote is not limited to business. Let’s see 3 ways how. Walk with me.
First though, context. Kenya is experiencing a political upheaval driven by a new generation unburdened by traditional constraints. Generation Z, those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, are leveraging their unique perspectives and digital savviness to instigate significant change. According to a study by the United Nations, 75% of Kenya’s population is under 35, and this demographic is increasingly disillusioned with the old guard’s approach to governance.
1. Denial born of complacency-Gen Z protests in Kenya
The problem of rapid change is that it often finds incumbents complacent. They reason: “It’s been working for decades; it will work now. Why fix it? Ignore the neon lights screaming for change—they’ll flicker out.” Only, they don’t. because you cannot stop an idea whose time has come — especially when it resonates with the lived struggles of a majority of citizens
Now then. In 2007, with a billon customers in tow, Nokia was the leading mobile phone company in the world. But the world wasn’t particularly enamoured by the hardware – a rectangle with a screen. It cared about evolving, interactive software. Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android saw this. Nokia missed that boat. It never recovered.
Today, Gen Z wields power through social media and grassroots organizing. They know the old ways of campaigning—endless rallies and patronage networks—fall flat in a digitally connected world. Meanwhile, older politicians, resting on decades of experience, find themselves out of touch with the electorate’s evolving demands.
As Jeff Bezos, Executive Chairman of Amazon, once said: “We co-evolve with our tools. We change our tools, and our tools change us.” I would add: the legacy Kenyan politician has, seemingly, not evolved with the evolving digital tools.
2. Goliath did see David coming – he just ignored him
About 30 years ago, Safaricom was a small department in larger Telkom, which no one really paid any attention too. ‘Don’t bother with them? They can go independent. We are Telkom. The only ‘phone services provider in Kenya.’
When the switch to digital loomed, giant media houses believed, “We’re too big to fail,” despite still running analogue signals. They said, “We can’t be switched off. What will Kenyans watch?” Today, Telkom is a shadow of its former self, while Safaricom leads East Africa in market valuation—comprising 40% of the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The media houses? Switched off. Most are still struggling, having boarded the digital train several stations too late.
Read: Are Kenyan Banks and Media Houses Too Big to Fail?
Now the Kenyan government still believes that the unrest is a Gen Z problem. “They are our children,” it keeps saying. In fact, the initial reaction to the Gen Z protests in Kenya, was, dismissive. MP Kimani Ichung’wah called it, “posh politics”. “These are children of the middle class here in Nairobi. They do not understand the problem of rural Kenyans for whom this Finance Bill is supposed to help.”
A week later, on June 25th, protests erupted. The Gen Z–led protests in Kenya were mobilised almost entirely through social media, powered by the hashtag #TotalShutdownKE. They erupted across 37 of the country’s 47 counties and ultimately culminated in the breaching of Parliament. An estimated one million Kenyans took to the streets—an unprecedented show of unity. Even far-flung counties like Turkana and Samburu stood up to be counted.
The pebble is a passing cloud
Goliath dismissed, ridiculed David, and so, never saw the pebble coming. The problem is not, “Our children.” The problem is Gen Z and Millennials. And it’s their parents, the Gen X, and Baby Boomer grandparents, that have suffered in silence for decades and are only too happy to support their self declared fearless and tribeless children and grandchildren. The punitive Finance Bill 2024 was merely the powder keg that ignited the revolution.
The problem is that 75% of the population has had it! ENOUGH! Enough of an increasingly oppressive tax regime, sucking oxygen out of an already suffocating standard of living. Enough of a blatantly corrupt leadership—glamourized thieves—brazenly flaunting their nouveau-riche excesses. Enough of the oppression, the poor governance, the indifference, the insensitivity.
The problem is Kenyans. Not a small section of the population that, “Arrive in an Uber, holding an iPhone and stop at KFC to eat minofu (those boneless chicken bits).”
3. The perils of clinging to experience in Gen Z protests in Kenya
“Having experience means you are an expert of the past.” (Vidia Mooneegan in his TED Talk). While experience can be a valuable asset, in times of rapid change, it can also become a liability. While experience can provide valuable insights, it can also be a barrier to innovation in times of rapid change. Globally, industries and political landscapes are being reshaped by those willing to challenge conventional wisdom.
Therefore, politicians who rely solely on their past experiences risk losing touch with today’s realities. They miss the aspirations of a younger, sharper generation. And so they risk obsolescence. The old playbook no longer works. Abductions. Cosmetic changes of cabinet. Delaying tactics disguised as commissions or task forces. Bribery. Unending and blatant lying. Hiring goons to cause chaos and so justify excessive force. Muzzling the press. Shutting down the internet. Self-serving harambees. Political assassinations. Endless lies. Extending constitutionally set term limits to stay in power longer. Extra-judicial killings to silence dissent.
These tactics worked in the past. But they are ill-suited for a fast-changing political environment—and a population that is no longer willing to be played.
A striking example is the rise of digital activism and peaceful demonstrations. Traditional politicians may struggle to grasp the full impact of social media campaigns, online movements, and organized peaceful protests. In contrast, the tribeless, party-less, and leaderless Gen Z effortlessly leverages these platforms to mobilize support and bring attention to critical issues.
Read: Of ODM being in-and not in, govt.- and customers not believing you
Conclusion: Gen Z protests in Kenya
Kenya stands at the crossroads of a transformative era, driven by the dynamism of its youth. This is not just a generational change Kenya is going through — Kenya (as is the world) is going through a generational shift. A shift in priorities, values, and the methods used to drive change. This generation, empowered by technology and global interconnectedness, is rejecting the stale politics of the past and demanding a future defined by transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. In this rapidly evolving landscape, even experience can be a double-edged sword.
Challenges like peaceful demonstrations, abductions, and extrajudicial killings demand more than seasoned judgment. They require fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. In both politics and business, embracing change and challenging the status quo are proving to be a decisive factor for success..
Yet the government’s response remains: “This wind will blow over soon.” From rejecting the Finance Bill 2024 under pressure only to sneak it back in, to the predictable cycle of handshakes, shoot to kill orders, ‘dialogues’, commissions of inquiry, multi-sectoral forums, inter-generational conclaves, regional power-sharing, and cynical reshuffling of cabinet under iron-fisted leadership, while retaining blatantly unconstitutional positions—the pattern is unmistakable.
In times of rapid change, experience can be a leader’s worst enemy.
What do you think?
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