Brave, United, and Fed Up: Kenya’s Youth Take on the Government

In June 2024, young Kenyans started speaking out online against a controversial finance bill. This quickly grew into protests across the country, which lasted for about a month and a few weeks. 

The movement initially started with citizens urging MPs to vote against the Finance Bill 2024. When this proved ineffective, calls for demonstrations spread rapidly across social media platforms, with the hashtags  #OccupyParliament and #RejectFinanceBill2024 taking center stage.

On June 18, protests erupted across Kenya. For the next few days, demonstrations continued (mostly) peacefully in 19 of the country’s 47 counties, including major cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. By June 20, thousands took to the streets as the MPs prepared for the bill’s second reading. Despite the growing unrest, MPs voted 204 to 115 in favor of the bill. 

“Now more than ever, we all need to march to the streets! The government needs to understand there’s no face to the protest. Unless they plan on arresting the entire country, we will still protest!” shared one Kenyan Woman on X (formerly Twitter.)

Finance Bill 2024

This controversial bill proposed a series of tax hikes on essential goods and services, like bread, fuel, and mobile money transactions. Some clauses would increase prices for necessities such as sanitary pads and diapers. It’s no wonder, then, that young Gen Z and millennial women came out in large numbers when protests began. 

For a population already wrestling with rising living costs and widespread unemployment, the proposed bill felt unfair, corrupt, and blind to the people’s problems.

The protests, which began on June 18, 2024, were unlike any other Kenya had seen. 

Unlike previous movements, which were often staged by opposition parties, these protests started organically from the country’s digital-savvy youth. There was no leader, and there were no tribal divides.

From X and TikTok to the Streets

It started on TikTok, with young Kenyans creating viral videos explaining the bill’s implications. The campaign quickly spilled over to X, with hashtags like #RejectFinanceBill2024 and #OccupyParliament trending across social media. 

Within days, what began as online activism spilled into street protests that would later result in death, injuries, and a U-turn by the Kenyan president.

The initial demonstrations were largely peaceful. 

In Nairobi, hundreds gathered outside parliament to call on MPs to vote against the bill. Similar scenes played out in other counties, from the coastal city of Mombasa to Kisumu.

But as the protests grew, so did the tension. 

Kenyan Protesters urging the government to reject the Finance Bill 2024. Photo credit @LarryMadowo

On June 20, as lawmakers prepared for the bill’s second reading, thousands flooded the streets of major cities. The police response was swift and harsh. Tear gas filled the air in Nairobi’s CBD, and police started using live bullets to disperse the crowds.

Despite the crackdown, the protests continued to gain momentum. 

The movement reached its boiling point on June 25, when parliament was set to cast its final vote on the bill. As MPs gathered inside, thousands of demonstrators assembled outside the parliament building. 

What had been a largely peaceful movement suddenly turned violent.

In scenes unprecedented in Kenya’s history, protesters breached police barricades and stormed parliament. Some set fires while others ransacked offices. The speaker’s mace, a symbol of parliamentary authority, was carried off by demonstrators.

The police response was brutal. Unclothed police officers, some in snipper positions, started using live ammunition against the crowd. By the end of the day, 23 protesters had been killed, and hundreds more were injured.

Protesters carrying the body of Ericsson, a protester killed by the police during the protests. Photo credit @festolang

International observers condemned the use of lethal force against protesters, while human rights organizations called for an immediate investigation into police conduct.

“I Concede”

Faced with mounting pressure both at home and abroad, President William Ruto addressed the nation on June 26. In a surprising turn of events, he announced that he would not sign the Finance Bill into law.

“I concede,” Ruto declared, “and therefore, I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill, and it shall subsequently be withdrawn, and I have agreed with these members (MPs) that that becomes our collective position.”

For many, this concession represented a victory. Yet it also raised questions about the future of Kenya’s economy and its relationship with international lenders, who had been pushing for fiscal reforms.

Beyond the Bill

The protests didn’t end with Ruto’s announcement. 

If anything, they evolved into a broader movement against government corruption, economic mismanagement, and the unholy marriage between the church and the Kenyan government.

“Kenyans continue to pay taxes, yet we’re told that essential public servants-doctors and teachers,won’t be paid on time. Meanwhile, MPs are getting raises. This isn’t about a rejected finance bill. It’s about a government that values its own comfort over the well-being of its citizens.” Muchiri Mike on X

With over 80% of Kenya’s population under the age of 35, the country is experiencing a youth swell that’s frustrated by unemployment and high costs of living. These young Kenyans, often better educated, more tech-savvy, and more globally connected than their predecessors, are increasingly vocal about their discontent with the status quo.

Beyond the immediate issue of the Finance Bill, demonstrators are calling for reforms in governance and how the government handles corruption. 

The majority of Kenyans understand that the country is in great debt. 

Most also understand that the country needs taxes to run and provide resources to its people. However, people are angry about the over-taxation that, as history has shown, only serves to make the political class richer and untouchable. 

What’s Next for Kenya?

For now, the future remains uncertain. 

The government has promised dialogue, but many young protesters remain skeptical. The path forward will not be smooth, but it’s clear that Kenya’s youth have found their collective voice. They’ve proven they can mobilize quickly, effectively, and peacefully when their concerns are not addressed. This newfound political engagement, if sustained long enough, may lead to a more inclusive and responsive democracy in Kenya.

However, it is still unclear whether the Kenyan government will engage meaningfully and democratically with these young citizens, who are the majority of the voters. 

If the government fails at this, it risks facing an even more empowered and determined youth movement in the future.