The Generational Moment: When Gen-Z Seized the Day

History is for the most part a dull endeavor. The same things tend to happen among ordinary people day after day, for years and decades on end. The mundane humdrum of things is the norm and not the exception in the story of societies. However, every once in a long while, a seismic event happens that drastically and, almost by surprise, alters this status quo. These out of the ordinary events, and the men and women involved in them, are what make it into the history books and define the next years and decades. And then the cycle repeats over, and over again.

This country, I think, is in the midst of one such seismic shifts. That is the emergence of Generation-Z, and young people in general, as a force for political action and social change.

The current political protests have been born out of a long and complex mix of demographic and social changes in the past two decades. A generation has come of age which bears a set of characteristics unlike any that has been before. These young people are aptly conscious that they have been ignored and underestimated by the powers that be.

The emerging movement, so to speak, encompasses both youthful educated elite, from doctors, lawyers, celebrities, and professionals of every ilk, and yet also stretches its influence far and deep into the villages. At the base of it is a youth boom that has been in the making and is already here; in Kenya and most of Sub-Saharan Africa, Gen Z constitute the majority of the population, with median ages as low as 19 years. And the current events in this country show that this majority has an unlikely bravery born of agitation, anger, and a keen sense of betrayal.

And yet despite perhaps the most significant generational change happening right now, there remains a surprising animosity against these young people. It is not clear whether the older generations simply do not understand them, that they deliberately attempt to undermine and sabotage them for feeling threatened by them, or that they are actually right and Gen Z are the entitled, unambitious, and spoiled kids they are said to be. This sentiment has been made clear since these protests begun a few days ago. Senior leaders and politicians in the country have stated in clear terms what the Boomers actually think of Gen Z, and it is surprising if not appalling. Maybe our seniors are bereft that they have raised a generation of young people which they don’t understand themselves. The proper kids we were supposed to be have turned out to be unafraid, informed, and socially and politically conscious.

An array of factors has converged over the past two decades to define and shape our generation. And yet one of them stands out: the information and communication dynamics we have had. This is the most exposed and most informed generation so far in the history of this country. And at the center of this digital dynamic that Gen Z has grown up in stands one towering factor: TikTok. Despite being one of the youngest in the community of social media platforms, TikTok heralded a radical change in the concept and form of social networking. Whereas Facebook made social networking boring, Twitter catered best to elites, and Instagram rewarded superficial celebrity lifestyles and filters, TikTok ingenuously took the best features from these apps, added to it ease and fun, topped it up with an overdose of virality (the thing that makes posts go viral fast) and, in a dramatic shift, broke down the barriers to the digital information and communication ecosystem, swinging wide open the doors to digital idea-paradise, and placing in the hand of every young person, whether in the city or in the village, a portal to the rest of the world, and a channel to millions of others like them. At first it was just dancing videos and cat clips. But if it is true that democracy rides on the wings of informational exchange and idea transfer, then TikTok was destined to become the elixir for Gen-Z’s emergence as a force for political and social action.

Therefore, armed with this technology and an unprecedented digital savvy, these young people have leveraged platforms like TikTok and Twitter to organize. Twitter and TikTok are the Gen Z’s digital war room. Unsurprisingly, these young people understand political and social issues and are not merely motivated by blind action. Once ideas are shared and the organization done in the digital war room, the protests are taken to the streets. And as is the case so far, there is no doubt that Gen Z’s mastery of street protests matches that of their digital savvy. When TikTok discourse meets street demonstrations, the mood of the moment is palpable and the urgency unmistakable.

However, further education and learning are needed to foster deeper understanding of political and social issues among Gen Z. This will make our action and participation in the political process more effective.

The fun and almost playful angle that these young people bring to political action cannot be ignored either. They are serious about the issues they agitate for but bring along an enviable comedic angle. What with a couple of young protesters galloping away on horseback – on police officers' horses. And young Gen Z girls, you would call them Baddies, braving the brutal demonstrations and recording and posting hilarious TikToks.

The President ascended to power on the premise that young people would be actively included in governance, that they would be brought into the fold. A fundamental grievance of the protests has been that he failed, nay, he did the exact opposite of that. These young people feel derided and betrayed. But that’s not the worst news; the government cannot ‘crack down’ on these protests. And that is the establishment's greatest fear. I wager it makes State House tremble. Censorship has been tried before, in the age when legacy mainstream media ruled, but it cannot prevail now. The government and the President of this country better adjust to a new normal.

Yet this protest has another significant character in that it could be the beginning of the end of the blatant tribalism which has bedeviled this country, and sub-Saharan Africa, for the last six decades. Gen-Z have already proven that they are ready to be ruthless with any individuals who bring division to the cause, tribal or otherwise. Gen Z do not seem to welcome dissent in the digital war room. Millennial celebrities and opinion leaders seem to have learnt this. Recent posts on social media show that they are falling in line.

It is a question yet to be answered whether this generational moment can and shall be replicated across sub-Saharan Africa. For all hopes and reasons, I hope that leaders are taking note. From Senegal to South Africa, Zambia to Nigeria, Sudan to the Congo, a wave will rise. Understand that Gen Z, and all young people, will from now on have to either have a proper seat at the table or take over the house. It would be foolish to take for granted and ignore the signs of the times. We will remember and follow the legacy of the Soweto youth!

This moment is a cause for hope. And if that torch of hope is to be kept burning, a call for participation is inevitable. All of us Gen-Z ought to unite. Band together. This writer has personally been reluctant with political action before. But like many of my agemates, that might just change.

The question remains, will this Gen-Z awakening be a passing fad? Shall this momentum last? It is for history to tell But for now, the fire burns hot. And the powers-that-be can feel the heat.