By Billy Mijungu
This generation does not want to live elsewhere, they want to live in Africa. They are questioning the decisions of the past and demanding accountability in leadership like never before. They are not running away from their continent; they are reclaiming it. Their dream is not in Europe or America but in a better Africa governed by people who care, who listen, and who deliver.
When your neighbor’s house is on fire, never mock or laugh at them. That is President Suluhu’s lesson, a warning to every African leader watching the continent’s political winds shift. The flames of change sweeping across borders are not isolated; they are connected by a shared frustration and a renewed hope that leadership can finally mean service.
This is the generation that is taking charge of its destiny. They are not afraid to confront power, to question, or to organize. The Gen Z revolution that began in Kenya has now become a political headache across the continent. From social media activism to street protests, this movement has one unifying message: do your job or leave.
If you intend to hold elections, do not pretend to do it because Gen Z will not accept it. And if you do it, do it right because they can make you a one term leader. Zambia has seen it, Senegal has seen it, Madagascar has seen it, Cameroon is seeing it, and Tanzania is beginning to feel it. These young people are not bound by old loyalties or tribal calculations; they are driven by outcomes.
They do not care whether a government comes through the ballot or through the barracks, be it military or civilian. From Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to Kenya and Ghana, their message is simple: deliver results or step aside. The common denominator across all systems is delivery, jobs, justice, and dignity.
As Kenyans inch toward elections, the greatest safeguard for peace and progress will be free, fair, and transparent elections. That is the foundation of legitimacy and the demand of this generation. We cannot afford chaos or arrogance in leadership, for that would set the country on fire and cause casualties of monumental proportions.
Africa’s youth are no longer waiting for promises. They are demanding results, they are organizing for change, and they are rewriting the social contract.
Arrogance in leadership is being tamed. Accountable leadership is being demanded.
Let us pray and let us do our best.
