As the sun begins its assent over Ongata-Rongai, painting the sky with hues of hope and promise, my day unfolds with the familiar rhythm of routine. A typical morning for me involves a strategic departure from home to beat the infamous rush hour traffic and exorbitant matatu fares. My routine includes ensuring that my younger sister safely boards her school bus before I venture towards the bustling bus stage enroute to the city center.
But one morning this routine was shattered. As my sister and I made our way to her bus stop, she slipped and fell into a patch of mud. “In our neighborhood, where proper sewer systems are more of a dream than a reality, these treacherous patches are a byproduct of overflowing drains—a stark reminder of the challenges we face daily.
Thankfully, after ensuring she was unhurt, I promptly alerted our mother, who swiftly arrived ready with alternative clothes for my sister to change, ensuring that my sister was not derailed from her journey to school. Reflecting on this unexpected challenge, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to the resilience of our parents’ generation. Their stories of overcoming obstacles on the way to school echo through time, and it seems my sister encountered her own version of these tales in 2024.
Time was not on our side, as my sister’s school bus was about to leave. In a bid to catch up with her bus, we decided to take a boda boda (public motorcycle). I was convinced that we would make it on time, and I wouldn’t be late for work. Unfortunately, our plans took a sharp turn. Barely 200 meters into our journey, my sister fell, and I soon found myself submerged in the sludge after her. The stench was unbearable, and I was filled with a mix of fury and disappointment. As a result, my sister had to skip school, and I had to work from home for the day. During our journey back home, my mind was filled with frustration and anger towards my neighborhood and the authorities. The walking path had been turned into a hazard due to the drainage of sewers, and it seemed like the government agencies were turning a blind eye due to corruption. I felt the pain of everyone who used that road in such a state, wondering what a mere 25-year-old Gen-Z (Zoomers) could do alone.
This kept lingering in my mind the whole day. That evening, as I scrolled through TikTok to unwind and get my daily dose of news and gossip, I heard someone explaining how the finance bill would affect us if it was to be passed. A week later, I saw a poster that was calling the Gen-Z to come out for Maandamano (Swahili word for protest), to reject the finance bill. I was really for the idea though I doubted that citizens would unite on this. So, the best I could do was to support the movement online!
These demonstrations in response to the proposed finance bill showcased the power of unity and collaboration. Across social media platforms, individuals and celebrities alike came together to voice their support for the #REJECTFINANCEBILL movement. The peaceful demonstrations in the streets saw people from various backgrounds coming together, transcending divisions of community, ethnicity, and religion. Doctors and nurses extended their help to the injured, while parents prayed for the safety of their children. However, the movement also saw a darker side, with the leaking of personal and business information as part of an “Asalimiwe’ (Swahili word for greeting has been coined to mean calling you out!) strategy,” . This unexpected turn highlighted the far-reaching impact and complexities of modern-day activism.
I mean;
“Weren’t they afraid of being searched for?”
What if they call the numbers and they get tracked?
But then Genz’s are just fearless.
At the end of the day, the MP’s voted yes to the bill. One GENZ lamented out loudly saying “after everything we have done today, they still voted, yes?”. However, she was comforted by the fact that the fight was still not over. And Alas, they continued with the protests to the next week during the second reading of the bill in parliament. And the #OccupyParliament hashtag trending on twitter came to be a reality. Everyone was in disbelief that for the first time in Kenya something of such a magnitude had been done. The president had no option but to suspend the bill. The GENZ had won at last, these young people who party from morning to evening, had won!
It dawned on me that one GEN Z… read the finance bill… was vocal on it…talked to people about it and more people talked about it and soon it was a national problem…and everyone was aware.
So back to my initial question…. What can a 25-year-old Gen Z like me do to activate change? The answer is simple: A lot! It takes one voice and one person to start a movement and change a country. We may be young, but we are powerful. We are the generation that will shape the future, and our time is now.
The need for change is so crucial and consequential. Thanks for the accounts that befell many of us on that fateful day.
This country requires such energy,bring change for many who are oppressed by this government.