When Kenya’s parliament tabled the controversial 2024 Finance Bill, the government expected a routine budget cycle. Instead, it ignited one of the most significant youth-led protest movements in the country’s recent history.
From Nairobi to Mombasa, chants of “Reject Finance Bill” reverberated through the streets. Among those who marched was Kevin Kimani, a youth leader who once stood for election in Njoro Ward. For him, the unrest was never just about taxation. “It was a declaration of freedom,” he said.
The protests were not confined to Kenya. Across East Africa, young people are voicing discontent at governments that promised democracy but have delivered repression. In Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s early reformist image has been overshadowed by growing surveillance and a harsh crackdown on dissent. In Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has ruled with little challenge for nearly 40 years. And in Kenya, President William Ruto faces persistent allegations of corruption and the silencing of critics.
Out of this disillusionment, a new movement is emerging. Journalists, activists, and Gen Z organisers are defying the risks to speak out. “The protests showed us the sheer power of Kenya’s young people,” Kimani said. “Leadership is not about titles or positions, but about standing with the people. Gen Z stepped forward with courage and made their voices impossible to ignore.”
For Kimani, the lesson runs deeper than politics. “Freedom and prosperity will never come from government handouts or control. They come when people claim their right to be heard and shape their future. The spirit we saw in 2024 is the spirit of liberty itself. The youth will no longer wait to be invited into democracy—we are already here, setting the pace for a freer, more prosperous Kenya.”
But as chants echoed through Nairobi, another battle unfolded: the fight for the right to report. On the day police sirens blared nationwide, the Communications Authority issued an emergency order banning live coverage of the protests. Officials said it was to prevent incitement; press freedom advocates called it blatant censorship.
The clampdown was deadly. Amnesty International reported that in a single day, 19 protesters were killed, more than 500 injured, and journalists directly targeted despite being clearly identifiable. In Nakuru, reporter Catherine Wanjeri was shot with rubber bullets while covering the demonstrations. Days later, anti-corruption blogger Albert Ojwang died in police custody, a chilling warning to those who dared to challenge the state.
In this climate, journalists were not simply recording events—they were risking their lives. Among them was Rodgers Otiso, a young reporter for the Standard Media Group, who documented the protests from the frontlines. His work, like that of many in his generation, is reshaping both journalism and the contours of civic resistance in East Africa.
The resistance is not confined to the streets. For Joan Mugaba, a Ugandan educator and activist, teaching and storytelling have become acts of defiance. “Education gives people the confidence and language to resist. Storytelling ensures our experiences are not erased. When young women tell their stories, they transform their communities,” she said.
Through the Young Women’s Hub and her literacy project #BooksIntheGhetto, Mugaba has created grassroots platforms where women and young people can flourish despite political repression. But she warns that solidarity cannot stop at words. “Regional and global allies must do more than issue statements,” she said. “We need mentorship, resources, and networks that reach young leaders on the ground. That is how real change begins.”
This report was produced as part of the Liberalist Centre’s Journalism for Liberty Fellowship, with support from Atlas Network and the Institute of Economic Affairs.
By Caleb Koyo-
From Nairobi