Why Kenya's Protests Outlast Every Regime

Why Kenya's Protests Outlast Every Regime

Kenya's protests outlast every regime, primarily because they reflect deep, unresolved structural problems such as political exclusion, corruption, economic inequality, and poor public services that have been left unaddressed by successive governments. These protests are often led by young, urban, and multi-ethnic populations who feel alienated by a political elite perceived as distant and self-serving. The protests transcend party or ethnic lines and signal widespread dissatisfaction with government leadership, a lack of opportunity, high living costs, and police brutality—problems that persist regardless of power. Key factors explain the longevity of protests in Kenya: There is structural failure and governance issues. Kenyan regimes respond to protests with repression rather than meaningful reform. They address symptoms with violence but fail to bring about structural change, leading to repeated uprisings. The protests are largely driven by young urban residents (especially Generation Z) who are networking across ethnic and regional lines, mobilizing via online platforms, and expressing their discontent over unemployment, the cost of living, and systemic corruption. The political class is often viewed as corrupt, self-reproducing, and detached from the needs of the public. Which it is. Opposition politicians are sometimes co-opted into government, weakening political alternatives and prompting ordinary citizens to take to the streets themselves. And then, time and again, violence is used. The use of excessive force, including live ammunition and mass arrests, is a common government tactic during protests. Dissent is suppressed, but this often only fuels further anger and resolve among protesters. The recent protests are organic, transcending traditional ethnic, regional, and political boundaries. They unite people around common socioeconomic issues and demand democratic accountability. The protests in Kenya will continue because they are not just directed against temporary political leaders, but against permanent and systemic political and economic problems that every new regime inherits—and largely fails to resolve. This pattern makes protests a persistent feature of Kenya's political landscape, as people continually seek to hold their leaders accountable and demand change.     @https://www.accord.org.za/analysis/kenyas-historic-gen-z-led-protests-the-issues/ @https://democracyinafrica.org/kenya-has-changed-the-gen-z-protests-and-what-they-mean/ @https://theconversation.com/kenyas-protests-happened-in-every-major-urban-centre-why-these-spaces-are-explosive-233350 @https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/world/africa/kenya-protests-william-ruto.html @https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/7/24/kenya-is-not-asleep-anymore-why-young-protesters-are-not-backing-down @https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/11/25/unchecked-injustice/kenyas-suppression-2023-anti-government-protests https://beta.the-star.co.ke/news/2025-07-13-why-kenyas-protests-outlive-every-regime @https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/east-and-southern-africa/kenya/what-behind-kenyas-protest-movement @https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMS1721AP3s