Kenya: What next for Gen Z’s digital revolution?
Andrew Wasike in Nairobi
August 9, 2024
In Kenya, youth-led protests and political debates have surged on social media, raising fears of surveillance and fake news. Online platforms are now at the forefront of activism and dissent.
Anew generation of activistsis emerging In the heart of Nairobi. They are armed with smartphones and TikTok accounts rather than the megaphones and placards preferred by their predecessors to drive political and social change.
As Kenya grapples with soaring living costs and controversial government policies, Generation Z — the term generally used to describe people born during the late 1990s and early 2000s — has dug into the digital trenches, harnessing the power of social media to fuel a wave of protests and political activismagainst Kenyan President William Ruto’s two-year-old administration.
What started out as peaceful youth-led rallies against proposed tax hikes ballooned into wider action against Ruto and what many see as wasteful government spending and corruption.
Ruto, while asserting his belief in freedom of expression and press freedom, has so far acknowleged the temptation to shut down the internet but chosen not to, maintaining a delicate balance between governance and civil liberties.
TikTok, the battleground for change
TikTok, the short-form video platform beloved by Gen Z, has become the unlikely epicenter of Kenya’s political awakening.
Its bite-size videos, often infused with humor and cultural references, have proven to be a potent tool for young Kenyans to express their discontent, share their experiences, and connect with like-minded individuals.
“Short videos are king,” said DW correspondent Edith Kimani. “They offer digestible information that is to the point and moves the dialogue along. You come in, you’re entertained, but you’re also informed about the situation.”
This digital solidarity has not only fueled the protests but also fostered a sense of community and purpose among Gen Z activists.
The Kenyan government’s digital dilemma
The government’s response to this digital uprising has been a mix of veiled threats and cautious engagement.
Ruto’s acknowledgment of the power of social media, coupled with a warning that he could shut down the internet, has created a climate of uncertainty and fear.
“It’s almost like this veiled threat that comes in the form of an assurance, which might explain why people are so on edge right now,” says Kimani, highlighting the chilling effect of government surveillance and potential crackdowns.
The fear of being tracked and targeted has led many activists to adopt a range of security measures, including the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent online restrictions, and the encryption of communications.
“People only want to communicate on end-to-end encryption, people downloading VPNs and connecting to varied internet service providers,” Kimani said
Some have even resorted to anonymity, refusing to reveal their real names to journalists for fear of reprisals.
“What I’m finding interesting at this time is also that you know that level of surveillance online is shifting offline,” Kimani said.
“So when we go to interview people and we ask them for their names. People don’t want to reveal their true identities, their faces, but they don’t want us to tell their names. In fact, they’re accusing us of setting them up so that they can be tracked by government.”
Disinformation, the digital smokescreen
As the battle for hearts and minds rages online, the spread of disinformation has become a major concern for activists.
Odanga Madung, a data scientist, journalist and co-founder of Odipo Dev, an organization that specializes in data analysis and visualization, warns of the growing sophistication of disinformation campaigns — which are designed to not only deceive but also distract people from the real issues.
“Disinformation works not only as a way of trying to deceive people but even more so, as a distraction,” said Madung. “It’s a very effective form of censorship that many people don’t think about.”
The proliferation of fake news, manipulated videos, and misleading narratives has created a murky online environment, making it difficult for citizens to discern fact from fiction, Madung noted.
Information overload, coupled with the fear of government surveillance, has created a chilling effect on free speech and open debate.
Madung highlighted the multifaceted nature of social media’s role in the protests. Enclosed messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, along with public platforms such as TikTok, X, and Facebook, have become essential tools for organizing and spreading information.
However, this digital engagement comes with its own set of challenges, particularly regarding the spread of disinformation.
“Disinformation acts as both a deceiver and a distraction,” Madung explained. “It complicates the political discourse by muddying the waters, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction
News Source: DW News
