Taxed to the Limit: Kenya’s Youth Uprising and the Fight for Economic Justice

This episode is the first installment of a new series entitled Podcasting African Democracy. It was recorded on August 5th, 2025.

In this episode, we speak with Wairimu Gathimba — writer, researcher, and longtime organizer within Kenya’s social justice movement — about the mass protests that erupted in June 2025 following the commemoration of the 2024 controversial Finance Bill protest. From Nairobi to Kisumu, thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets, demanding transparency, accountability, and relief from crushing economic burdens.

Wairimu breaks down the political stakes of the tax bill, the decentralized nature of the movement, and the role of digital mobilization in shaping a new era of civic resistance. We also explore the generational dynamics at play, the risks faced by protesters, and what this moment reveals about the future of Pan-African organizing.

This is not just a story about taxes — it’s about reclaiming democracy, redefining leadership, and resisting austerity in a time of global economic pressure.

 

Co-host: Luccas Perez

Editor(s): Luccas Perez