A Gen Z protester holds a placard during the #OccupyParliament protests on Thursday, June 20, 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY
In Summary:
- Week of Protests: Gen Z plans a week-long series of demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024.
- Multiple Activities: The protests include visits to key locations, national calls to action, and a final march to State House.
Kenya’s Generation Z is set to showcase their unyielding resolve against the Finance Bill 2024 with a series of demonstrations scheduled for the coming week.
Building on their active online presence with hashtags like #OccupyParliament and #JusticeForRex, the youth have now coined #TotalShutdown for their upcoming protest.
A widely shared poster on social media reveals that the youth will participate in a seven-day protest to honor their fallen comrade and pressure the government to reject the Bill, which has already passed the second reading.
Named ‘7 Days of Rage’, these demonstrations aim to warn Members of Parliament who supported the Bill and urge investigations into police brutality against protestors.
“We reject the Finance Bill in its entirety. And despite our peaceful protests, police have responded with bullets, killing two of our own, maiming many others and one person is in critical condition. We refuse to be silenced, so we’re marching on,” read part of the poster.
On Friday, June 21, the youth will visit the City Mortuary, attend Juma prayers at Jamia Mosque, and distribute water to attendees.
Saturday, June 22, will feature a unity call to bars and clubs frequented by Gen Z, where music will stop at midnight to chant “Ruto must go, and Reject Finance Bill”.
Sunday, June 23, will involve holding the 204 MPs who supported the Bill accountable in churches, rallying congregations to deny these MPs a platform.
On Monday, protesters plan a courtesy call to MPs’ constituency offices, urging constituents to boycott businesses linked to them and gather signatures to recall them.
Tuesday marks the second #OccupyParliament protest with a nationwide strike warning of a ‘Total Shutdown’. “Gen Zs are granting all hard-working Kenyans a day off. Parents, keep your children at home in solidarity,” stated the notice.
Wednesday’s agenda includes demanding justice for Rex, killed during Thursday’s protests, with visits to the IPOA offices and the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome.
The climax on Thursday will see Gen Z block main roads leading to Nairobi and march to State House under #OccupyStateHouse, coinciding with President William Ruto’s expected signing of the Finance Bill into law. Protesters say they will be there to ‘witness Ruto sign our lives into slavery’.