Panel 54 Podcast - Tom Mukhwana

EPISODE 3: Gen Z Rising — Protest, Power, and the Fight to Be Heard

Across the continent, young people are speaking up. But are they changing the game—or just trending for a moment?

In this episode, we dive into the heart of Gen Z activism in Africa. From hashtags to hardline protests, we ask: is this a real political awakening or a mirage that fades when the Wi-Fi cuts out?

Journalist and investigative reporter Tom Mukhwana joins hosts Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to explore how social media, protest culture, and civic literacy are reshaping the idea of youth power.

Mkwana has covered everything from corruption to human rights violations and now takes us into the tension between visibility and voice. Are today’s movements leaderless by design or directionless by accident?

We unpack: –

Why digital protest doesn’t always translate to political power 

– How Gen Z became the unofficial opposition in Kenya and Africa as a whole

– The role of civic education, representation, and rage

– And why strategy—not just spark—will decide the future

– How online-led movements risk being steered intentionally or not by political operatives or foreign interests who understand the algorithm better than the activists do

From Sudan’s sit-ins, Kenya’s finance bill, South Africa’s Fees Must Fall, to Nigeria’s Lekki tollgate massacre, this episode takes stock of a generation that has the numbers, the noise, and maybe, the next step.

Also: the myth of the social media saviour, the realities of political co-option, and why some movements survive—even when their heroes fall.

This is Panel 54, podcast. Global perspective through an African Lens

📩 Let’s talk: hello [@] panel54 [dot] com

🎙 Recorded at Amp Studios Nairobi

🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent