Beyond Protest: How Youth Movements Can Shape Africa’s Parliaments and Communities

^{Photo Credit: Rana Ubaid}

Democratic institutions must deliver again – starting with parliaments! Don’t get me wrong, I am not entirely pointing fingers at Members of Parliament (MPs). The real power lies in the owners of MPs’ mandate – the people, the citizens.

Democracy is in crisis. The promise of “government of the people, by the people, for the people” is farfetched, with elected representatives increasingly acting without accountability to those who gave them power to legislate, oversight and represent in Parliament. But youth-led movements are shaping up into a formidable force, leading change through feminist principles and disrupting the status quo through shared power and leveraging technology.  

From Kenya to Bangladesh, Nepal to Madagascar, citizens — especially young people — are increasingly taking to the streets to protest impunity and poor service delivery. In Kenya, the 2024 GenZ-led protests against the punitive Finance Bill revealed a deep crisis of trust in government. Amidst all these, one question persists – where are the people’s representatives – the MPs? 

Mass protests against the punitive Kenya 2024 Finance Bill was a culmination of numerous unsuccessful citizen-led efforts to stop Kenya’s National Assembly from voting in favour of the bill that proposed hiked taxes on essential products such as bread, sugar, menstrual products and financial transactions. Despite MPs receiving endless direct calls and press releases urging them to stop the bill, they went ahead and passed it, resulting in the historic #OccupyParliament that left at least 30 young people dead, journalists attacked and over 300 injured since the start of the protests on June 18.

But this movement was more than resistance. It was a masterclass in youth-led democratic innovation. The concept of ‘representatives’ in democratic systems has often meant dominance of the said representatives at the expense of the citizens they represent and without consultation or accountability to them. #OccupyParliament and the movement working order was resistance to this lack of accountability. Shared power - a feminist principle - is a foundational democratic pillar. It’s about checks and balances, oversight and accountability to the people, the very essence of Parliaments.

The GenZ movement in Kenya, Nepal, Bangladesh and Nepal has proven capable of effective and competent resource mobilization, communication and socially-just service delivery. They demonstrated the power and possibility of democratized information access, leveraging social media as a campaign/advocacy tool, comradeship and generosity in the movement, people-led financial transparency and accountability in crowdfunded money and inclusivity. Everyone was part of the movement regardless of status or location. These people-first values and skills are essential in public service which would transform local and national parliaments.  

In Kenya, the youth movement used social media to educate, mobilize, and hold power to account. They crowdfunded over USD 230,000 for medical and funeral costs — every shilling accounted for by a young activist, Hanifa “Farsafi’ Adan. They rejected closed-door meetings and demanded open conversations, even forcing the President to join an X Space after declining his invitation to meet select movement representatives. The young protesters showed up on the streets armed with Kenyan flags in hand.

In Nepal, the youth movement rebuilding their own country after the destruction from the protests showed their foresight and love for country, including by moving with speed to elect an interim leader in a record few days, utilizing technology.  

So how do we sustain this momentum and incrementally rebuild democratic institutions? Where do we transfer these tech-savvy skills, accountability levels, patriotic spirit and community organizing power? How can parliaments harness the level of pressure and passion from GenZ movements and deliver better to the people?

Perhaps by citizens pushing for, fundraising and voting in movement representatives into parliaments as their representatives.  Despite flawed political party processes, citizens would be critical in advocating for their trusted movement champions in the parties. Whether through running for office or affirmative action nomination, there is no doubt that we need a critical mass of progressive social justice movement representatives in Parliament to legislate on behalf of the people. They will serve frequent reminders on fidelity to democratic pillars and the centrality of citizens’ needs in public service. We need forward-thinking tech advocates in Parliament who harness emerging technologies and challenge entrenched interests that dismiss digital information tools as mere 'Photoshop' for their own benefit. Youth movements have demonstrated they can do this, and young feminists are on the forefront!

Representation alone isn’t enough though. Affirmative action seats haven’t always delivered citizen-centered leadership. Some MPs who once championed rights now support bills that restrict protests or threaten electoral integrity, curtailing citizens’ constitutional rights. But all is not lost. Senator Cystal Asige’s Disability Rights bill, recently signed into law, is proof that progressive legislation is possible. A young senator nominated by the Orange Democratic party, Senator Crytal was among the few parliamentarians that defended the GenZ-led movement, calling out the inefficiencies of Kenya’s parliament in representing the people’s will. And through her bill, she amplified the plight of persons with disability, paving the way for much-needed legislation.

We can achieve much more with 10-20 more progressive leaders who constantly champion  gender justice and the rights of the marginalized and boldly speak to power.  So how do we get there? How can citizens better influence who and how movement representatives get to Parliament and deliver the promise of social justice? How can feminist movements continue to lead in progressive initiatives aimed at transforming democratic institutions? These and more will be part of what we discuss at the upcoming inaugural Gaborone Democracy Lab.

Stella Nderitu is the Chairperson of the Political Feminism Working Group of the Young African Activists Network (YAAN)