Kenyan Gen Z Activists have resorted to using Technology to ensure their Voices are heard in the wake of intimidation from the same government that wants to advocate for human rights. In recent months, Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as Grok, owned by the Elon Musk X platform, have become a means to challenge power, but now critics warn of disinformation. As Protests are becoming an online thing in the country, the line between empowerment and Chaos is lingering.
June 2024 will remain in the country’s historical books as it was the first time demonstrations became a thing for the youth and leaders. During this time, demonstrations were against the not-so-popular Finance Bill 2024 and bypassing traditional political structures ( Parliament).
Armed With X ( formerly Twitter), AI Chatbots (ChatGPT & Grok), and databases exposing various corrupt government leaders, Transforming Online Platforms to the battleground, making their voices be heard. A good example is Kelvin Ndemo, a 24-year-old software developer who created the “Finance Bill GPT” to explain the legislation’s implications. Several tech-savvy youths welcomed it then, but it has now been taken down.
If you want to further understand the finance bill and its implications, i have created the Finance Bill GPT, a GPT with upto date info on the finance bill, use it to understand the bill and ask any questions you may have.https://t.co/PCLCg72ZhP
— Kelvin N (@NdemoKelvin) June 13, 2024The movement’s creativity extended to AI-generated protest songs and satirical cartoons of President William Ruto in coffins—content that spread virally but drew accusations of defamation.
During the Occupy Parliament protests, activists using the popular X platform shared the Members of Parliament (MPs) phone numbers, urging Kenyans from various constituents to demand accountability from them and Vote against the Bill via Mass SMS campaigns and telephone calls.
This leaderless, tech-driven approach proved futile, as the government was forced to listen and dropped the bill, which wanted to facilitate contentious tax hikes.
Yet the same tools used to advocate for better governance have become a center of scrutiny regarding their risks. For Example, during the Pakistani 2024 protests, AI-generated images of bloodied Streeters were used to champion freedom, but later, it emerged that they were not real, highlighting the risks of Misinformation if not used correctly.
Backhome deepfakes and AI Chat Bots are being used to Push the narratives of the livestock vaccines and AU elections, with Russian actors allegedly stoking conspiracies about “gene-modified” drugs.
As of the writing of this piece, the Kenyan government has already tried to call upon the so-called “Social Media influencers ” from the use of AI and social media platforms to sabotage the growth of Kenya’s diplomacy with foreign nations. This was after the Dutch foreign ministry sent over 300 emails from Kenyan nationals asking the Dutch government to cancel their state visit to Kenya.
“AI is a double-edged sword,” said Ali Hussein, chair of Kenya’s ICT policy think tank KICTANet. “While it democratizes dissent, unregulated tools can destabilize democracies.” The government, also on its own, has not been soft-spoken about this; for example, on January 16th, 2025, the Ministry of Interior, through Dr Raymond Omollo ( Principal Secretary), now demands Social media Companies like X & Tiktok have physical offices in the country.
While experts have welcomed this move as it could still boost Kenya’s revenue growth, Kenyans have been quick to lament it as it could be seen as a move for President William Ruto’s government measures to stifle free speech, which the 2010 Constitution provides.
By the way, the government proposed a Technology Responsibility Charter in November 2024, which promises responsible AI use for a better future by ensuring a balance between innovation and accountability. At the same time, the UK-Kenya AI Challenge Fund seeks ethical frameworks for public-sector AI, prioritizing healthcare and agriculture. President Ruto’s new AI strategy pledges Ksh 311 billion to boost GDP through tech hubs and digital literacy programs, though skeptics question its equity.
As I conclude, my take for now is that we, as the youth, the Keyboard remains Mighty now than the Sword that the government wants to have on us. Whether it builds or burns bridges, the appropriate use of AI and any other relevant online tools should be done ethically to create a better Kenya for all of us.
