This raises two critical questions: Why have young people turned to protest as their primary means of political engagement? The protest wave of last year made clear that formal channels for youth engagement are failing. At the same time, the leaderless nature of many contemporary protest movements excludes them from formal negotiations and decisionmaking processes. Moreover, while protest movements tend to focus on broad objectives, success often depends on articulating clear demands and winning the support of powerful actors. Rose Ngugi is the former executive director of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis.

Source: Taipei Times February 02, 2026 17:27 UTC