How Gen Z used social media to mobilise, sustain resistance

GEN Zs hold poster during the Anti-Government NANE NANE protest on August 8, 2024. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

A year ago, Kenya witnessed an extraordinary youth-led uprising against the Finance Bill, 2024, which proposed significant tax increases on essential goods and services.

Generation Z was at the heart of this revolution, fusing outrage with innovation and using digital tools and social media to organise, amplify and sustain their resistance.

The first signs of dissent emerged in form of videos, especially on TikTok. Armed with smartphones and sharp wit, young Kenyans began producing short videos that unpacked the Bill’s far-reaching consequences.

Then hashtags such as #RejectFinanceBill2024 and #OccupyParliament began trending. 

The movement quickly escalated. 

According to the Media Council of Kenya's report, Online Mobilisation of Anti-Government Protests in Kenya, hashtags such as #RutoMustGo, #OccupyStatehouse, #OccupyChurches and #AngukaNayo dominated Kenya's online spaces, influencing public discourse and national media narratives.

On June 20, the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 topped global trends, amassing over 600,000 tweets. 

Unlike previous demonstrations led by political figures, this was different. The youth declared themselves “leaderless, tribeless, and fearless.” 

Their strength lay in decentralisation. While protests were staged on the streets, social media became the new town square, with TikTok, X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and Zello acting as megaphones.

X and Instagram played a central role in sharing information, coordinating protests, and livestreaming. WhatsApp groups sprang up across countries, serving as command centres for local mobilisation.

Meanwhile, Telegram and Signal offered secure, encrypted spaces where strategy could be debated away from the prying eyes of the authorities.

When rumours of government crackdown emerged, activists turned to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Guides on how to download and use VPN spread. Keywords such as 'TumieniVPN' and 'DownloadVPN' trended on X, with users sharing links to software and tutorials.

According to Top10VPN, VPN usage spiked by 534 per cent in response on June 25.

That same day history was made. Protesters stormed Parliament Buildings, prompting a deadly response from the state. Yet the digital resistance endured.

Protesters livestreamed the chaos, ensuring the world bore witness. Their TikTok and Instagram feeds captured unfiltered moments that traditional media might have overlooked or edited.

From remote counties to the heart of Nairobi, young people filmed and shared. Their videos served two purposes: to document events and to inspire others.

One of the standout tools was Zello. On June 21, users in Nairobi's Central Business District and beyond turned their smartphones into walkie-talkies. Through group channels, they coordinated movement, warned of police deployments and adapted strategies in real time.

WhatsApp evolved too. Initially limited by a 1,024-member group cap, organisers switched to WhatsApp Communities. With this feature, they were able to manage groups of up to 5,000 by linking 50 groups.

The traditional media found themselves in an unusual position. Although 60 per cent of respondents trusted traditional media for factual reporting, 80 per cent relied on social media for immediacy and mobilisation.

Together, both platforms shaped a hybrid information ecosystem where verification met velocity.

Kenya’s 2024 protests are now a case study in modern activism.