Protests turn violent as Gen Z distances itself from hooliganism

The Gen Z movement is distancing itself from acts of violence witnessed in parts of the country on the fifth day of protests as acts committed by hooligans and goons. the protests that had been called to push for reforms in governance turned violent.

The protests, which initially started off as a push to have the government do away with the Finance bill 2024, had seen thousands of youthful Kenyans take to the streets to protest.

The face of the protests has been changing with claims of infiltration by hired goons to disrupt, loot and plunder.

Unlike the first and second Tuesday demos, there was a marked difference in the look and feel of the protesters and the deployment and equipping of security agents. The impact was soon seen on the streets both in and out of Nairobi.

"I had come to demonstrate like my fellow youth, but goons have been sent and they are destroying businesses and stealing phones," Millicent, a protester, told Citizen TV.

Some of the online personalities who have been associated with the occupy protests are distancing the Gen Z's from the actions that have accompanied the demonstrations across parts of the country.

Activist Boniface mwangi on an X post, for instance, accused the government of letting goons take over the protests and loot and destroy property. 

The protests, when they started mid last month, were spearheaded by the youthful Gen Z generation.

The protests planned and organised online saw the youth turn up in the multitudes, dressed in a somewhat uniform manner, with their intentions and goals clearly spelt out, quite literally and verbally...

They were also guided by a code that prohibited the use of violence, destruction of property and even guidelines on where to go for legal and medical help during the protests.

However the organised protests has slowly been changing with each passing protest day. Now the placards-carrying, youth are slowly getting replaced by other groups whose actions seem to be at odds with the occupy State House movement...

In the Nairobi CBD, business owners say they were forced to guard their businesses against those who have infiltrated the protests with the intent of looting and destroying property.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) flagged this changing face and character of the protest as early as Wednesday last week.

"We have noted the change in the demographic of the protesters, where as last week they were young and peaceful, it seems that other people from other sectors of life infiltrated the protest and turned them violent," KNHCR Chair Roseline Odede said.

It is unclear whether the government will respond as more protests had been planned for this Thursday.