The Rising Voice Of Gen-Z Against Police Brutality In Kenya

By: David Nyaga

Worth Noting

• Right to Peaceful Assembly: Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution protects every citizen’s right to assemble peacefully. Suppressing such demonstrations violates the law.
• Distinction Between Protesters and Criminals: Peaceful Gen Z demonstrators should not be confused with goons. While isolated acts of vandalism exist, collective punishment through excessive force is unjust.
• Use of Excessive Force: Security forces have reportedly used live bullets, teargas, and beatings even in nonviolent protests leading to injuries and deaths.
• Impact on Public Trust: Continued brutality weakens citizens’ trust in law enforcement and the government, worsening tensions between the state and the youth.

In recent times, Kenya has witnessed a surge of youth-led demonstrations primarily championed by Generation Z calling for accountability, justice, and better governance. These peaceful movements have often been met with undue force by law enforcement, triggering nationwide concern over escalating police brutality.

Peaceful protesters, many of them unarmed and exercising their constitutional right to assemble, have faced harassment, beatings, and even fatal shootings. Videos circulating online show young people being dragged, tear-gassed, or brutalized simply for voicing their dissent. In some tragic cases, families have lost loved ones, youths who were only fighting for a better Kenya.

While it’s true that in every crowd there may be elements that engage in criminal activities such as looting or violence, this does not justify indiscriminate use of force on all demonstrators. Law enforcement officers are trained to differentiate between lawbreakers and peaceful protesters, and to act with restraint and within the law.

Kenya’s Gen Z has also redefined activism using digital platforms to mobilize, share real-time information, and hold those in power accountable. They are informed, fearless, and united in purpose. Their voices reflect deep-rooted frustrations over joblessness, inequality, corruption, and a lack of opportunities.

Suppressing these voices through brutality only fuels the fire. What Kenya needs is dialogue, reforms, and a responsive government that listens rather than silences. The nation must rise to protect its future generation and not violate it. Peaceful protest is not a crime. It is a constitutional right. It is time for justice, not violence.