Digital defiance: How Kenyan youth are using tech to speak to power

An activist protests outside the Nairobi Funeral home following Albert Ojwang's death while in police custody [Jonah Onyango/Standard] The brutal death of 31-year-old schoolteacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang has torn through Kenya's collective conscience with chilling familiarity. His crime? A tweet allegedly deemed "offensive" to Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. For this, he was abducted, tortured, and killed. While police initially claimed Ojwang died as a result of hitting his head against the wall at Central Police Station, Nairobi where he was being held after being picked from their Kakoth home, Kokwanyo village in Homa Bay County on June 7, 2025, the autopsy painted a different picture, the 31-year-old died as a result of assault. The postmortem revealed that Ojwang was tortured and strangled. Four officers from the DCI took him from Nairobi to Mazingira Complex, then to Central Police Station, where he is believed to have died. Ojwang's arrest came just a week after software developer Rose Njeri was seized in similar style in South B by DCI officers who drove her to Mazingira Complex for interrogation before detaining her at Pangani Police Station. Her offence was creating a website where she invited Kenyans to express their views about the Finance Bill 2025. Njeri was accused of violating the country's computer misuse and cybercrime law. The two latest incidences are a manifestation of the State's apparent determination to muzzle social media spaces that have become popular avenues where Kenyans air their views as well as criticise those in authority. Last December, social media influencers Billy Mwangi and Peter Muteti were arrested and detained for several days for posting negative tweets about President William Ruto. Social resistance Yet if the intent is to scare Kenyans into silence, it's not working. Social media remains the terrain where young citizens debate, mobilise, and resist. Platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, LinkedIn, Snapchat and even Google have become virtual battlegrounds. The government may see digital dissent as cybercrime, but for millions of young Kenyans, it's simply free speech. Njeri and Ojwang's crime was using social media to express themselves. The arrest of the duo has re-ignited debate about the relevance and intention of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act with some calling for its amendment, arguing it is being misused to suppress contrary opinions. "The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act was designed to target malicious hackers, fraudsters, and cyber terrorists - not freelance web developers caught in business disputes," said former Chief Justice David Maraga in court while defending the software developer. According to Maraga, charging Njeri under this law weaponises legislation in a way that could stifle innovation and silence dissent in the tech sector. Last year's anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, widely dubbed "Gen Z protests," represented a watershed moment in the country's political activism, fundamentally distinguished by the digital-first approach. Technology did not just support these demonstrations, it drove them, creating what observers called "a youth-led and digitally-driven protest" that marked a significant shift in the nation's civic engagement. The protests began and thrived on social media platforms, with young Kenyans mobilising using platforms, such as X, TikTok and Instagram. These platforms became key avenues for the dissemination of information about the Finance Bill, contributing significantly to the total rejection of the Bill, which had punitive clauses. Digital mobilisation "Social media platforms became essential for disseminating real-time information, with protesters posting graphics, posters, and details about meeting places, what to carry, and even locations to hide when the situation became too dangerous as police used excessive force," says Laurence Saitoti, a digital strategist and political analyst. TikTok served as a major mobilisation and organising platform, with hashtags like #RejectFinanceBill2024 playing a pivotal role in uniting protesters and amplifying their message. While X functioned as a hub for real-time coordination, rapid updates, and sharing critical information among protesters and supporters. The Gen Zs used Instagram primarily for visual storytelling, helping to galvanise support through compelling images, reels, and stories that captured the spirit of the movement. Facebook played a key role in broader community engagement, facilitating discussions, event planning, and outreach to wider demographic groups. The protesters' digital strategy centred on powerful hashtags like "#RejectFinanceBill," "#OccupyParliament," "#OccupyJKIA," "#TokeaTuesday," "#RutoMustGo," among others. These hashtags transformed from rejecting specific legislation to demanding broader political change. "A notable example was the use of Zello, an app that allowed protesters to communicate instantly, which acted like a walkie-talkie. This tool made coordination smoother and helped keep everyone connected, even when the police escalated their use of force and brutality," points out Saitoti. He says technology became the driving force for raising awareness, uniting voices, and instilling a sense of accountability within the youth. "It gave us the power to challenge authority, expose injustices, and demand action from institutions. Through these digital tools, Gen Z not only harnessed their collective strength, but also took the fight for change to the global stage, proving that activism in the digital age is something entirely new and far-reaching," he says. Protesters employed sophisticated digital pressure tactics beyond traditional social media mobilisation. Personal information, such as the phone numbers of political leaders, was leaked to allow protesters to spam them with SMS and WhatsApp messages. The direct digital confrontation was so effective that the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner issued a warning statement urging them to stop. SMS campaigns, aka Kuwasalimia (sending greetings), was the new way of making sure the message got home through mass text messaging to political leaders. Mobile phones were the backbone of the protests, enabling instant communication and coordination. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram facilitated encrypted group communications that allowed organisers to coordinate activities while maintaining some level of security from government surveillance. Participants used smartphones to live-stream events, share police locations, warn of dangers, and provide medical assistance coordinates. Youth power "What made these demonstrations stand out wasn't just their scale, but how technology became the heartbeat of the movement, empowering a generation to demand change in ways that felt raw, real, and unstoppable. "Kenya's tech-savvy youth, armed with smartphones and a knack for digital organising, turned social media platforms into virtual megaphones. The hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 trended like wildfire, uniting voices across Nairobi to Mombasa," says Nyandia Gachago, founder of Mintylime AI Agency. Beyond social media, apps, such as Zello saw over 40,000 downloads in a single week, letting protesters coordinate in real-time while dodging police crackdowns. Software developers, such as Joy Mutheu built platforms, such as Lost in Kenya, an AI tool to track missing persons during the chaos, offering families hope amid tear gas and arrests. Another site, Wall of Shame, named and shamed politicians who backed the bill, turning public outrage into a digital ledger of accountability. And just to make sure no one was left behind, youthful protesters used the same technology to ensure civic education on the controversial Bill was done properly. Nyandia says the demonstrators did not just chant slogans; they translated the Bill's dense legalese into Swahili, Kikuyu, and Kamba, making it accessible to everyone from urban students to rural farmers. "Short, punchy videos broke down the Bill's impact, while memes called out politicians' lavish lifestyles against a backdrop of economic hardship. It was activism with a digital pulse-fast, relatable, and impossible to ignore," adds Nyandia. During the protests, extensive digital content was generated that was previously accessible only to policy experts, enabling informed participation across educational and economic divides. "The 2024 maandamano protests demonstrated how technology could level the playing field between citizens and government. What began as localised discontent quickly evolved into a nationwide movement, thanks to the connectivity of the digital age," observes Mercy Nashipai, a content creator. The protesters ultimately succeeded in forcing President William Ruto to withdraw the Bill, highlighting the power of digital activism. Political shift According to Nashipai, the protests herald a new model of political engagement in Kenya, where traditional barriers, such as disorganisation, insufficient resources, and difficult access to media were overcome through strategic use of readily available technology. "This digital-first approach to political activism has since influenced other movements across Africa, with Nigerian youths inspired by the Kenyan protests, taking to social media to call for change in their own country," she says. But technology was a double-edged sword. While it gave protesters a voice, it also exposed them to risks. The government's brief internet disruptions raised fears of censorship, and reports of abductions targeting influencers and activists underscored the dangers of being vocal online. Still, Kenya's youth didn't back down. Their digital fluency-honed in a country nicknamed the "Silicon Savannah"-transformed protests into a leaderless, borderless uprising that forced Dr Ruto to shelve the Bill. For Kenya's Millennials and Gen Z, technology wasn't just a tool; it was a lifeline, proving that clicks and hashtags can spark real-world change. The protests' digital nature prompted discussions about social media regulation. Months after the protests, concerns linger about whether Kenya is trying to regulate social media as authorities grapple with the power of digital mobilisation. A section of Kenyan leaders has been calling for the regulation of social media. In a telling move toward this goal, parliament through the budget committee is proposing to reallocate some Sh150 million to procure and run an Optimus 3.0 system. To procure Optimus 3.0 equipment, the committee has set aside Sh50 million. The committee further increased the recurrent expenditure by Sh100 million for the DCI forensic lab Optimus 3.0 Social Media. The 2024 protests will likely be remembered for laying the foundation of digital activism when driving or demanding meaningful change.

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