Gen Z in Shaping Today’s Society, Democracy and Politics in East Africa: A Case Study of Kenya

Abstract

Generation Z has emerged as a potent disruptor redefining global politics; challenging the traditional political structures and elite dominance through digital activism and leaderless movement, igniting fierce controversies and intergenerational dissonance. This paper sought to investigate the contribution of Gen Z in shaping today's society, democracy and politics in East Africa. More specifically, it examined the contribution of Gen Z culture in shaping the norms and values of Kenyans. Further, it assessed how Gen Z leverages social media activism to foster social justice and political accountability in Kenya. The inquiry utilized a concurrent triangulation research design and sampled a total of 384 respondents drawn from universities in Kenya. A semi-structured questionnaire was utilized to gather data from the Gen Z to understand their role in shaping today's society, democracy and politics; while a focused group discussion was used targeting Gen Z's student leaders and international students in these universities. The research paper used a triangulation technique to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data obtained from the field. The results revealed that social media is the widely used form of communication among the Gen Z and is a focal point for expressing their personal opinions on social, economic and political issues. The findings further noted that Gen Z are more involved in social media activism advocating for social justice issues such as unemployment, cost of living, social justice, criminal justice, transparency and political accountability. The Gen Z culture has significantly influenced our society's ideals on social justice, democracy and political governance. Keywords: Gen Z, Digital Activists, Leaderless Movements, Political accountability, Transparency & Social Change