The Gen Z Bubble, Its Growing Pressure, and How It Could Bring Change IF and WHEN It Bursts
By Ruzeki | Shadoww News | The WanTam Weekly | December 23, 2025
Hello, friends,
As 2025 draws to a close, we at Shadoww News want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support throughout the year. It's been a year of significant political, social, and economic developments that have kept us all on our toes.
As we wrap up this year, let's take one last look at a critical topic that could shape 2026: The Gen Z bubble, its rising pressure, and how it could bring change IF and WHEN it bursts.
Recently, the political landscape has been deeply influenced by the rapid rise of youthful voices—the Gen Z factor. Known for their activism, digital savviness, and demand for real change, this generation has already proven its capacity to challenge entrenched systems. The first major "Gen Z uprising," driven by protests, social media campaigns, and a relentless drive for social justice, forced political reforms and the easing of some of the most punitive policies that had previously dominated the landscape (we saw this in 2024 and part of 2025). However, as we look at the current political climate, it’s clear that the blood-based regime has started to backtrack on these gains. What seemed like a moment of hope has now approached a critical tipping point.
While some of the regime’s measures may have softened in response to earlier demands, the core issues that fueled Gen Z’s activism remain largely unresolved. In fact, many of the reforms that were put in place appear to be superficial fixes, intended only to quell dissent rather than create lasting change. As a result, the growing sense of frustration among Gen Z is palpable. Young people today are no longer willing to accept half-hearted compromises; they want real, systemic change. And when promises of progress are broken, the risk of social unrest becomes ever more likely. And I say it without fear: in 2026, the Gen Z bubble will burst.
The situation is compounded by the growing perception that this regime is slipping back into its old, repressive ways. Policies are tightening once again, dissent is being suppressed, and the voices of young Kenyans are being drowned out. Gen Z, accustomed to fighting for their rights in the digital age, is acutely aware of the stakes ahead of the 2027 elections. Every misstep by President Ruto's regime, whether it’s a crackdown on protests, censorship of social media, auctioning off state parastatals, rampant corruption, or political persecution, only stokes the flames of resistance. The momentum that was once seen in the initial rise (2024) is building again, but this time, the stakes are higher. We’ve seen what President William Ruto is capable of when cornered. He resorts to excessive force, followed by sweet words and promises, often supplemented with bribes.
What we’re witnessing is a classic cycle of tension: a people pushing for radical change, and a regime struggling to maintain control. But there’s a key difference this time, Gen Z cannot be easily silenced. With a global network of allies, a shared sense of urgency, and an unrelenting drive to tackle issues like social justice, economic inequality, human rights violations, and corruption, the youth are more connected and more powerful than ever. The social media platforms that once served as tools for organizing protests and spreading ideas are now battlegrounds where the future of the political landscape is being shaped. These platforms allow Gen Z to rapidly mobilize and escalate movements, making it increasingly difficult for any regime to suppress them for long.
As tensions continue to rise, the question becomes: when will the pressure reach its breaking point? History has shown that when a people feels their demands are being ignored or betrayed, the result is often explosive. We’ve already seen glimpses of this in worldwide protests and social movements. The current regime, by underestimating the depth of Gen Z’s anger and the strength of their conviction, risks sparking a much larger, more coordinated uprising that could fundamentally reshape the political order.
In the end, the real question is not whether Gen Z has the power to bring about change, but whether the regime will recognize this and take meaningful steps toward reconciliation and reform. Or will they continue down the path of repression? If the latter occurs, it’s almost certain that the pressure will eventually burst, and the consequences for the current political order could be far-reaching, even before the real doomsday: the 2027 general election.
Merry Christmas and A Prosperous 2026!
Follow for more commentaries and analysis on Shadoww News, Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky, and TikTok.
If you'd like to support our work, consider our subscription offer: WanTam Weekly Edition!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment