The Power of the People is Stronger Than the People in Power: Kenya's GenZ Revolution

By Chebusiit Araap Keter
Throughout Kenya's history, the collective force of ordinary citizens has repeatedly challenged the authority of those in political power. This principle was dramatically illustrated during the 2024 GenZ-led protests, which demonstrated that while institutional power can command immediate force, the enduring legacy and moral authority often rest with the people themselves.
Kenya's GenZ Revolution: A Turning Point
In 2024, Kenya witnessed an unprecedented mobilization led primarily by its youth population, triggered specifically by the draconian proposals contained in the Finance Act of 2024. What began as online expressions of frustration over economic hardship, corruption, and governance failures transformed into one of the country's most significant protest movements.
The protests reached a dramatic climax when demonstrators breached security at the Parliament building, forcing MPs to scamper for safety—a powerful symbolic moment that shattered the perception of untouchable political elites. This unprecedented breach of Kenya's legislative sanctuary represented a physical manifestation of the collapse of public trust in elected representatives.
The government's response was severe. Security forces used excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, resulting in dozens of fatalities. Reports documented shocking incidents: young protesters shot while holding nothing more threatening than placards; abductions of protest organizers who later were found dead or remained missing; mass arrests without due process; and internet disruptions aimed at hampering communication among activists.
Despite these harsh measures, the movement persisted. Each act of state violence served to validate the protesters' core grievance: that Kenya's leadership had become disconnected from citizens' needs and relied on coercion rather than consent.
Political Realignment and Elite Compromise
The intensity of the protests forced President Ruto into a dramatic political recalculation. Facing unprecedented pressure, he dissolved his cabinet and—in a move that shocked many observers—reached out to his longtime political nemesis, Raila Odinga. This political marriage of convenience was formalized through a memorandum of understanding that fundamentally realigned Kenya's power structure.
The agreement had immediate and far-reaching consequences:
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was impeached, removing a significant figure from the Kenya Kwanza coalition's original leadership structure.
Several of Raila Odinga's allies were absorbed into the cabinet, effectively neutralizing what had been the country's most prominent opposition voice.
As part of the arrangement, President Ruto backed Raila Odinga's candidacy for the Chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC).
This elite compromise, however, faced unexpected resistance from the very same youth movement it was partly designed to pacify. GenZ activists, viewing Odinga's maneuvers as an opportunistic betrayal of the protest movement's martyrs, mobilized against his AUC candidacy. They launched a sophisticated social media campaign supporting Mahmoud Ali Youssouf from Djibouti, who ultimately secured the position—dealing a significant blow to the Ruto-Raila alliance.
Following this setback, the two leaders formalized their arrangement into what they termed a "broad-based government"—quickly derided by Kenyans as a "bread-based government," implying the alliance was purely about sharing the spoils of power rather than addressing citizens' concerns.
The Death of Opposition and Democratic Backlash
The absorption of Raila Odinga—long Kenya's most prominent opposition figure—into government created a significant democratic deficit. Young Kenyans, in particular, expressed the view that Odinga had exploited their protests and the deaths of their colleagues as leverage to secure himself a place in government, abandoning his historical role as a check on executive power.
This apparent death of formal opposition has sparked growing concerns about Kenya's democratic health. Without robust opposition structures, accountability mechanisms are severely weakened, potentially allowing governance failures to proliferate unchallenged.
In response, a new generational consciousness has emerged, focused on "draining the swamp" in the 2027 elections—a direct rejection of the entire political class that has dominated Kenya since independence. The movement envisions removing all pre-2010 Constitution politicians and replacing them with leaders who came of age under Kenya's reformed constitutional order.
Looking Toward 2027: A Generational Reckoning
Current indicators suggest President Ruto might become Kenya's first one-term president under the 2010 Constitution. With his popularity plummeting to historic lows, his administration faces a crisis of legitimacy that appears increasingly difficult to overcome.
There are reports that the Ruto-Raila alliance may attempt constitutional amendments to create a Prime Minister position and formalize the role of Opposition Leader—changes ostensibly aimed at addressing structural governance issues but widely perceived as self-serving maneuvers to protect political careers.
Such a referendum, however, risks becoming a de facto vote of no confidence in the Kenya Kwanza government. The youth movement that mobilized so effectively in 2024 appears prepared to transform a constitutional referendum into a verdict on the administration's legitimacy—potentially accelerating rather than averting political change.
Why Kenya's GenZ Movement Continues to Gain Momentum
Several factors explain why the movement maintains its resilience despite elite attempts at co-option:
Decentralized Leadership: Unlike previous political movements in Kenya that centered around charismatic leaders, the GenZ protests operate through diffuse networks without obvious figureheads. This structure has made it impossible for authorities to neutralize the movement by absorbing specific individuals into government.
Digital Savvy: Young Kenyans skillfully utilize encrypted messaging apps, VPNs to circumvent internet restrictions, and international social media platforms to maintain communication channels and organizational capacity.
Moral Clarity: The stark contrast between peaceful youth protesters and heavily armed security forces created a powerful narrative that continues to resonate both domestically and internationally. The memory of those killed during protests serves as a constant reminder of the movement's legitimacy.
Economic Imperative: With youth unemployment at crisis levels, many young Kenyans feel they have little to lose by challenging authority. Their persistent message is that the status quo offers them no viable future.
Conclusion
Kenya's 2024 GenZ protests and their continuing aftermath powerfully illustrate that even when confronted with lethal force and elite political maneuvering, citizen movements can ultimately prove more potent than institutional authority. The tragic loss of young lives during peaceful demonstrations underscored the moral bankruptcy of power exercised without public consent.
The movement's persistence despite both violent repression and sophisticated attempts at political co-option demonstrates that legitimacy, not force or elite compromise, forms the true foundation of sustainable governance. While those in power commanded resources that allowed them to inflict harm and negotiate among themselves, they could not extinguish the underlying grievances or the determination of a generation demanding genuine change.
The upcoming 2027 elections may represent a watershed moment in Kenya's political development—a generational changing of the guard that could fundamentally reshape the country's leadership landscape. This potential transformation stands as powerful testament that while people in power may temporarily suppress or co-opt dissent, the power of the people ultimately proves more enduring and transformative than any elite arrangement.

The writer is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a political activist