A year has elapsed since Kenya plunged into turmoil over a bruising cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by proposed tax hikes, public restlessness over unfulfilled governance promises, and perceived corruption in high places.

Amid an explosion of public anger on the streets, embattled President William Ruto sacked most of his cabinet in a purge seen as a desperate attempt to placate the protesters.

Ruto made a televised address to the nation on July 11, 2024, promising to form a new administration that would be lean and efficient. He termed the dismissal of cabinet ministers as an outcome of "a holistic appraisal" of their performance.

The country's head of police was also forced to resign over at least 39 deaths in firing by government forces on protesters who had stormed parliament weeks earlier.

The public uprising was meant to herald change in Kenya, but the recent death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang in contentious circumstances suggests the needle has hardly moved.

Ojwang died in police custody after being detained over a social media post said to have been critical of a senior police official. Police said he fatally injured himself by banging his head against a cell wall, but a post-mortem revealed his body bore signs of assault.

His death has since become a rallying cry for young Kenyans, who continue to take to the streets despite reports of alleged extrajudicial killings and abductions by security forces.

Analysts feel the groundswell of public opinion should deeply worry Ruto's administration ahead of the planned June 25 memorial service for victims of the police firing on protesters in parliament on that day a year ago.

"Young people refuse to be held captive by fear…The more you kill them, the more they stand up for themselves. It's a paradox that this government has to deal with," Kenyan political analyst Alenga Torosterdt tells TRT Afrika.

Reignited protests

While disillusionment over hyperinflation persists, concerns over police brutality have fuelled the latest wave of demonstrations. Ojwang's death is believed to have exposed the systematic nature of alleged state violence against critics, perceived or otherwise.

Two police officers have been charged over the teacher-blogger’s death while deputy inspector general of police Eliud Lagat, the officer Ojwang was purportedly critical of in a post on X, has stepped aside.

Rights activists say the problem runs deeper than individual cases.

"We have had politicisation of security agencies. Instead of abiding by the law, they are simply following orders from above," said Hussein Khalid, an activist who was a witness during Ojwang's post-mortem.

"Even when there are no direct orders, they do what they believe will be acceptable to the powers that be. Instead of 'Service to All' (the official police slogan), they have turned their responsibilities into service to the powerful."

Balance of power

Social media videos show demonstrators walking calmly toward armed police officers, taking selfies, and throwing tear gas canisters back at police vehicles. The fear that once kept people off the streets has largely evaporated.

Many young people see the resurgence of their movement as the harbinger of a new political order.

Nerima Wako, the director of a youth organisation focused on political engagement, believes that a youth-led movement gaining momentum beyond government control signals that the balance of power is shifting.

"That's a big win’’ for the young people, Wako tells TRT Afrika, adding that the mass movement was putting politicians on their toes.

‘‘It shows you that we are at the cusp of a breakthrough,’’ she says.

The movement has achieved something unprecedented in Kenyan politics: sustained mobilisation that cuts across the ethnic divisions that have long defined the country's political landscape.

"I think the greatest success that we have achieved, and it's something we are proud of, is the awakening of minds. Kenyans are now more aware and more alert. With social media, nothing goes unnoticed," says activist Khalid.

The road ahead

Where this youth movement leads Kenya to remains an open question.

President Ruto's decision a year ago to form a "unity cabinet” with members of the main opposition party was widely seen as a betrayal by veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, leaving young protesters feeling abandoned by traditional political figures.

"The betrayal hurts, but I think it's perfect in terms of timing. It gives us two years to realise that they don't care for us," says Wako.

Some believe young people will channel their protest energy into electoral politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

"We are going to see fresh faces coming into politics. Young people are in the process of establishing political parties and working on creating coalitions with existing smaller parties," Wako tells TRT Afrika.

She hopes that an alternative political coalition will take shape by the end of the year.

For now, young protesters continue their defiant march forward, undeterred by the state apparatus.