Willis Otieno defends Gen Zs from leaderless criticism
By Aloys Michael, June 22, 2025As the country prepares to mark the first anniversary of the historic Gen Z-led protests on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has offered a strong defence of the youth movement’s structure and intent.
Speaking ahead of the commemoration on his official X account on Sunday, June 22, 2025, Otieno rejected claims that the generation’s activism lacks ideology or direction, describing such views as misunderstandings of a new era in civic engagement.
“To accuse Gen Z of lacking ideology is to mistake horizontal organization for chaos,” Otieno said in a statement.
“We are in a different era: a movement may have many faces but still share a single spine — justice, accountability, and dignity.”
The anniversary comes one year after thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets—and social media — in what became an unprecedented wave of decentralized protest.
The demonstrations, sparked by frustration over high taxation, unemployment, and political exclusion, were largely coordinated online, without a single party, leader, or union in charge.
Critics at the time and even now dismissed the protests as leaderless and lacking a clear agenda.
But for Otieno, a legal analyst and advocate known for championing public interest litigation, that critique misses the point.
“Gen Z is not trying to fit into the molds of 20th-century political organization,” he explained.
“Their movement is not anchored in titles or hierarchies. It’s anchored in lived experience and a demand for dignity — the right to be heard, to be respected, and to imagine a future in this country.”
Otieno’s remarks come at a moment when debate over the political legacy of Gen Z’s uprising is intensifying. As traditional political figures attempt to co-opt or critique the movement, many young activists have pushed back, insisting that their strength lies in not being part of the usual partisan channels.
Gen Z factor
According to Otieno, this is not a flaw — it’s an evolution. “What we’re seeing is a shift from vertical command to horizontal consensus,” he said.
“It’s slower, more organic, and sometimes messy, but it is no less legitimate. And it reflects the deep mistrust that young people have in existing institutions, which have consistently failed them.”
Indeed, research by local civil society organizations shows that young Kenyans under 30 remain the most disillusioned demographic when it comes to trust in government and political parties. Yet they are also among the most active online, creating viral campaigns, civic education threads, and protest art.
For Otieno, that creativity is part of the ideology.
“Their ideology is not in manifestos; it’s in action. It’s in mutual aid, in online organizing, in rejecting state brutality. That is political. That is powerful,” he said.
As June 25 approaches, various groups across Kenya are planning to mark the day with digital campaigns, pop-up town halls, and peaceful vigils. While no single group is claiming ownership of the anniversary, the collective message remains clear — Gen Z may not speak with one voice, but they march with one purpose.
“Don’t confuse their refusal to be co-opted with confusion,” Otieno warned.
“The youth are not just protesting. They are building something — something that insists on justice, accountability, and dignity for all.”