Kenyan Youth Movement, Gen Z, Enjoys Widespread Support Across The Country

Kenyan Youth Movement, Gen Z, Enjoys Widespread Support Across the Country

Post author:Mujuni Henry
Post published:July 18, 2024
Post category:World
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A recent survey conducted by the Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) has revealed that the Gen Z movement, a youthful political and social movement, enjoys widespread support among Kenyans, with 81% of the respondents expressing their backing for the group.

The survey, which sampled over 1,500 respondents from all 47 counties across the eight regions of the country, found that the Gen Z movement is particularly popular in urban areas, with 90% of Nairobi residents supporting the group. Similarly, the movement enjoys strong support in Nyanza (89%), Central (88%), and North Eastern (83%) regions.

However, the poll also noted that the Gen Z movement’s support is relatively lower in the Rift Valley region, which is the political stronghold of President William Ruto.

Additionally, the survey found that respondents aged 35 and above tended to express slightly lower support for the Gen Z movement compared to their younger counterparts.

Kenyan Youth Movement, Gen Z, Enjoys Widespread Support Across the Country 1

Despite the regional and age-based variations, the poll revealed that the Gen Z movement transcends political affiliations, with 79% of Kenya Kwanza supporters and 91% of Azimio la Umoja coalition members expressing their backing for the group.

The survey also shed light on the level of active involvement among the Gen Z supporters, with 16% of respondents indicating that they had protested on social media, 11% participating in street demonstrations, and 5% donating supplies such as water, transport, and t-shirts to the protesters.

Additionally, 4% of the supporters had attended the movement’s “X Spaces” meetings, and 2% had contributed financially to the group’s activities.

The poll also highlighted the key demands of the Gen Z movement, which include cutting government spending and implementing austerity measures, addressing youth unemployment, lowering the cost of living, fighting corruption, and even calling for the resignation of President William Ruto, supported by 12% of the respondents.

Other demands that garnered widespread support include investigating police officers involved in shooting at protesters, hiring intern doctors, auditing public debt, withdrawing the Finance Bill 2024, removing Cabinet Secretaries from office, reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), reducing taxes, and ensuring accountability of public officials.

The TIFA poll was conducted over two days, from July 16 to July 17, 2024, and involved more than 1,500 respondents reached through telephone interviews.