Kenya’s young people are redefining civic engagement by deliberately staying outside traditional political structures, according to Siasa Place Executive Director Nerima Wako-Ojiwa, who praised their unique, shapeless approach to activism as a powerful force that is difficult for political elites to control or manipulate.

Wako, on Wednesday said that the leaderless and partyless nature of the current youth movement is intentional and strategic, and represents a clear break from past forms of political organising. She argued that the fluid structure protects young activists from co-option by entrenched political interests.

“Saying that Gen Z is working, so it might not be how we are used to seeing it, which I think is fantastic,” Wako said in an interview with Radio Generation.

“If young people show up how the political elite are used to seeing power showing up, the first thing they will do is capture because those young people don’t have the resource, they will try and buy out leaders as quickly as possible. So remaining amorphous is the most powerful tool young people can do right now," she added.

Wako pushed back against claims that youth-led protests lack direction or a unified cause, pointing out that while the issues are many, ranging from unemployment to police brutality, the common thread that binds them is justice.

“The one voice that is very clear amongst all youth is justice. It’s justice. Justice. Yeah, it’s justice,” Wako said.

She noted that critics who say the youth movement lacks an agenda fail to understand that young people are purposefully rejecting traditional leadership models, tribal affiliations, and party structures that have failed them. Instead, they are building something new, grounded in shared values and collective memory.

“This idea of being tribeless, even better. But in terms of leaderless, there might be an issue, because at the end of the day… do we even have leaders amongst ourselves that we can even front?” Wako said.

“Think about it. Last year, protests were in like four counties. This year, they’re in 25. Who is leading them? Leaders have actually mushroomed in the 25.”

According to Wako, new political groups and parties are already forming, but most are not yet visible to the mainstream. She revealed that in just one week, three new parties had received registration certificates, proof that young people are organising in their own way and on their own terms.

“It’s just not out there, it’s here, and it will pop up,” she said.

The Executive Director highlighted how Gen Z is building a culture of dignity through actions like attending funerals of victims of police violence and raising funds for their families.

This, she said, stands in stark contrast to older generations and political parties that fail to remember or honour those who die in protests.

“ODM can’t even remember their families. ODM can’t remember where they live… but you ask Gen Zs the names of the people who died from June 25, they know them. They recite them. In fact, they look up to them as they are machujas,” Wako pointed out.

She criticised political parties that claim to be democratic but fail to uphold any real democratic principles within their ranks. She said that even if a young, influential member wanted to rise through party ranks, they would likely be blocked by party leaders.

“All of them have the word democratic, but there’s nothing democratic about their parties,” she said. “It depends who the party leader wants. So what is democratic about your party?”

Wako concluded by saying the young people’s push is not about joining the broken systems but creating a new Kenya that guarantees dignity, fairness, and opportunity for all.

According to her, this generation is not interested in replicating past political failures but in building a country where justice is the foundation.