Gen Z makes press freedom demands to media ahead of August 8 protests

In anticipation of the Nane Nane march scheduled for August 8, 2024, Generation Z has made a series of demands to media outlets across the country.

In an open letter to all media outlets, the young protesters stressed the important role of the media as a watchdog of society and a voice for the voiceless.

The letter serves as a reminder of the heavy responsibility that media outlets bear, especially during the ongoing peaceful youth-led protests.

“We want to remind you of your responsibility to serve as watchdogs and voices for the voiceless, especially during the ongoing peaceful youth-led protests.” The letter reads.

Gen Z also stressed the importance of a free press, urging media organizations to resist government influence and maintain their independence.

“Article 34 of the Constitution guarantees you freedom of the press. This freedom does not come from the grace of the state assembly but is protected by the Constitution,” The letter emphasized. “You should not be at the mercy of the government or any state institution. You have to be as independent as possible.” they urged.

“Constructive headlines”

Additionally, Gen Z called on the media to adopt more constructive headlines that accurately reflect their initiatives to push for positive reforms and national change.

“We ask you to use more accurate and constructive titles such as ‘Protest/Protesters in Support of Good Governance’, ‘Brave Young Kenyans’, ‘Voices of Change’ etc.” Specified letters.

Gen Z called on media outlets to refrain from labelling them as anti-government protesters and clarify that their struggle is against bad governance and not the government itself.

They commented: “Please do not label us as ‘anti-government protesters’. We are against bad governance, extravagance of leaders, incompetence, corruption, unemployment, high cost of living, greed of MPs (we call them ‘MP pigs’) and Ruto’s pathological lies.” they added.

Nane Nane Parade Live Report

Protesters also demanded that the upcoming Nane Nane event be live-streamed to document and expose police brutality and state-sponsored violence.

“We request that you provide live coverage detailing how protests will unfold in Nairobi and other parts of the country during the #NaneNaneMarch.” The letter reads.

“Your live reporting is critical because it will expose police violence against peaceful protesters and the criminal behavior of government-backed thugs hired to incite chaos and falsely accuse us of crimes.” They explained.

The young people expressed their determination to fight for their rights and urged all media to fulfill their responsibilities and provide fair and accurate reporting.

However, Gen Z warned against colluding with oppressors and insisted that the media must be a staunch ally in their fight for justice and accountability. “We warn you not to collude with our oppressors, for you are and will always be our last line of defense.” they said.

In the letter, Gen Z praised KTN News for its commitment to independent reporting while condemning Citizen TV’s lack of coverage of previous protests.

“We commend KTN News for resisting government intimidation. Likewise, we strongly condemn Citizen TV’s failure to report live events at the July 23 protest,” They said.