Charles Owino, a prominent figure, has stirred controversy by falsely claiming that @PropesaTV and 14 other X accounts are key mobilizers and leaders of Kenya’s Gen Z protests.
The allegations have drawn sharp rebuttals from the accused accounts, with @PropesaTV responding, “Charles Owino is falsely claiming that Propesa and 14 other X accounts are among the mobilizers and leaders of Gen Z. Surely sisi ni leaders wa nani and who made us the leaders? Kamuzi na Honey Farasi skieni huyu #77NiNumbers.”
The claims come as Kenya braces for the Saba Saba 2025 protests, marking 35 years since the 1990 pro-democracy demonstrations.
The Gen Z protests, which erupted in June 2024 against the Finance Bill, have evolved into a broader movement demanding an end to police brutality, corruption, and economic hardship under President William Ruto’s administration.
Organized largely through social media platforms like X, TikTok, and WhatsApp, the leaderless movement relies on hashtags like #RutoMustGo and #SabaSaba2025 to mobilize youth across Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported at least 16 deaths and 400 injuries during the June 25, 2025, protests, fueling further outrage.
Owino’s accusations align with government narratives that external forces or specific individuals are orchestrating the protests, a claim also made by Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, who alleged foreign funding without evidence.
Such assertions have been criticized as attempts to delegitimize the grassroots movement.
Kenyans have dismissed Owino’s claims, stating, “Naming X accounts as protest leaders is a tactic to silence Gen Z voices.”
The decentralized nature of the protests, driven by digital activism, makes it challenging to pinpoint leaders, as noted by media scholar George Ogola, who highlights the role of memes and Sheng quips in amplifying dissent.
As Saba Saba 2025 unfolds, with reported KDF Green Berets deployment and attacks on human rights groups like the KHRC, Owino’s claims risk escalating tensions.
Gen Z activists remain defiant, using social media to counter misinformation and demand accountability, with calls for justice for victims like Albert Ojwang, killed in police custody, growing louder.
Charles Owino is falsely claiming that Propesa and 14 other X accounts are among the mobilizers and leaders of Gen Z. Surely sisi ni leaders wa nani and who made us the leaders? Kamuzi na Honey Farasi skieni huyu #77NiNumbers pic.twitter.com/prvbexzvyR
— PropesaTV (@PropesaTV) July 7, 2025
