Early on Tuesday morning, the 'Occupy Parliament' protests quickly descended into a violent brawl in which protesters bravely poured into the streets and alleys to make their voices heard, and police were forced to run battles with Kenyans.
Protesters continued to enter the city with the intention of completing their task and sending a message to State House, even after receiving an earlier warning from Nairobi Region Police Commander Adamson Bungei, who categorically declared that the meetings were forbidden.
The Tuesday protest was not an event that had been planned for long - it was quickly cobbled by dissatisfied Kenyan social media users and, in a matter of days, the conversation had already gathered steam and the movement was born.
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It was an urgent protest, a significant dissent.
Young Kenyans, known as Gen Z, were at the center of the movement because they refused to be passive online whiners and instead turned into active thorns in the side of an increasingly authoritarian government.
As D-Day approached, Gen Zers, adept social media users and nimble organizers, efficiently used their time and resources by spreading the word about the 'Occupy Parliament' movement, creating and sharing posters, establishing the dress code, and providing any required information.
These young Kenyans, who are extremely popular on TikTok, have finally given up on their silly dance challenges and comedic skits to concentrate their efforts on the Finance Bill 2024, a more critical issue.
The Bill's contents, like those of every other Kenyan, were too much even for them, so this was the ideal chance for the young people to stand up for their nation and carry out a heroic deed that maybe even they weren't aware they could.
The groupings began Tuesday morning. They poured into the streets from Kenya Archives to the Nation Center, carrying oversized sunglasses, water bottles, masks, and trendy hairstyles. They were all dressed in black.
In contrast to an ordinary college day, these kids were aware of the dangers ahead and had sufficiently prepared for the encounter of a lifetime.
The most remarkable aspect was the enormous number of young women who showed up individually, each dressed casually but with a sincere and unwavering determination.
Some arrived in town wearing Brazilian wigs, others carried lip gloss, some had a small designer sling bag, and others wore nail extensions reminiscent of Cardi B.
This is Gen Z, so everything about them needs to be glitzy and stylish. They cannot afford to be seen dead wearing ugly water bottles, dull banners, or even plain T-shirts.
Everything, including the messaging and the placards, gave off the vibe and demeanor of a disgruntled but stylish protestor.
"Ruto should raise only his children," said one placard.
"You forgot to tax the voices in my head," reads another.
Kenyans were paying attention online to Gen Zers' massive participation, particularly that of the attractive Instagram stars.
"Hey, baddies of the protest era! Somebody said, "Kujeni mjinyakulie mabibi," with a hilarious tone.
It was obvious that these women did not belong here when they strolled through the seedy backstreets of Nairobi with their delicate accents, elaborate tattoos, and hoop earrings, but their calling outweighed their appearance by a wide margin.
These Gen Zers joyfully celebrated the event, even after being doused in tear gas. Some even made fun of it by comparing it to the flavors of shisha smoke.
"Hii teargas yao hakuna orange mint?" questioned one protestor. "Hii vape ya makarao ina choke!" exclaimed someone else.
Social analyst Gabriel Oguda responded by writing, "David Ndii made fun of Gen Z, calling them online wankers. They grabbed their tennis rackets today and told their coaches they were skipping training to confront the haughtiness and conceit of the government. Things will never be the same again after today!"
An impressed Pauline Njoroge also noted the unbreakable valour of the Gen Zers, saying, "They are not just brave, they are also very cool and well-spoken."
"Today’s youth-led protest has been most peaceful yet very successful. And the government will not have the usual excuse of so and so is sponsoring maandamanos."
Even Senator Ledama Olekina was equally impressed, simply tweeting, "Mad respect for Generation Z!"
United Way of the National Capital Area polled 1,000 people, concentrating on Gen Z's involvement with social issues to better understand how this generation will shape our future.
They questioned them regarding the reasons behind their (Gen Z) activism and how these causes had affected their professional decisions.
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The findings indicated a notable Gen Z dedication to societal change, with nearly one-third of Gen Zers (32%) regularly participating in activism or social justice work (compared to 24% of millennials).
Among college students, this involvement increased to almost 40% of the population.
Regarding public demonstrations, more than half of Generation Z (51%) reported participating in rallies or protests in favor of particular causes or social issues.
One thing for sure happened on the day Kenyan parliamentarians were to meet to vote on a contentious bill: Kenyan Gen Zers saved the day. And they executed it all magnificently.
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