By Manisha Sahu — America News World
October 16, 2025
A new wave of youth-led protests is sweeping across Africa, signaling a deeper crisis of governance and opportunity on a continent whose population is among the youngest in the world. What began as localized demonstrations over shortages, corruption or specific policy grievances has morphed into a broader generational revolt. From Kenya to Madagascar and now Morocco, Generation Z activists are testing the credulity and legitimacy of sitting governments — and in some cases toppling them altogether.
The Spark: Local Grievances, National Upheaval
In Madagascar, protests that began over frequent water and electricity cuts escalated swiftly into a nationwide movement against corruption and misgovernance. By mid-October 2025, the military, or at least factions within it, sided with demonstrators. President Andry Rajoelina lost control, fled the country, and saw key institutions suspended.
Meanwhile, in Morocco, protests sparked by discontent over stalled public services and glaring spending on stadiums for international sporting events morphed into a broader demand for accountability. The movement, which calls itself GenZ 212 (after Morocco’s dialing code), has leveraged social media and decentralized online organizing, drawing fresh attention to youth unemployment, healthcare, and education failures. Security forces have responded forcefully; at least three protesters have been killed, and hundreds arrested.
Kenya has already shown the power of youth mobilization earlier in 2025. A protest wave triggered by tax and cost-of-living pressures morphed into anti-government demonstrations. Demonstrators targeted Parliament, and security crackdowns reportedly killed dozens.
Also read:- Brown University Rejects Trump’s Higher Education Compact
A Shared Underlying Anger
While each protest carries unique local triggers, they all reflect a shared, deeper frustration among Africa’s youth:
Lack of economic opportunity: Thousands of young people enter Africa’s labor market each month, but formal jobs remain scarce.
Perceived impunity and corruption: Many protesters decry the disconnect between elite privileges and everyday hardship, calling for accountability and transparency.
Digital connectivity as catalyst: Generation Z in Africa is the first truly digital generation. Organizing via Discord, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms, youth activists can coordinate fast and communicate across borders. The “One Piece” pirate skull icon — borrowed from a Japanese manga — has become a shared protest symbol.
Rising expectations, stalling states: Many young people believe their countries should deliver better public services, health care, education, and infrastructure — but governments seem out of sync with those expectations.
In short, these protests are not just outbursts — they are symptoms of a generational contract gone wrong.
Also read:- Trump: PM Modi agrees India will stop buying Russian oil
When Protest Meets Power: Cracks in the Political Order
The Madagascar showdown is one of the starkest examples of Gen Z energy colliding with state authority. After weeks of escalating unrest, an elite unit of the military, CAPSAT, refused orders to fire on protesters and instead escorted them into the capital. The coup—or counter-coup—effectively erased Rajoelina’s power base, as key institutions and security services repositioned. The African Union immediately suspended Madagascar’s membership.
In Morocco, the stakes are still high. The government has made some promises, including social reforms, but has also cracked down hard on protests. The depth of public discontent suggests that limited concessions may not quell the movement.
Across Africa, analysts are closely watching whether this youth energy can force more than cosmetic change. Will governments respond with genuine institutional reforms — or rely on coercion?
Lessons, Risks, and a Continent in Flux
Opportunity or backlash?
If governments heed the demands — on job creation, accountability, fair governance — they might stabilize their social contract. But if they resort to repression, the anger could reverberate further, generating cycles of instability.
Military interventions complicate the narrative.
In Madagascar, the military’s defection to the protest side upended the calculus. But militaries are not substitutes for democracy. The reshuffling of power could lead to further power grabs, weak transitions, or renewed repression.
International actors tread carefully.
Regional bodies like the African Union and global players are increasingly pressured to respond. Madagascar’s suspension from the AU is a clear rebuke. But external support for stability may also undermine genuine reform efforts.
This is not a one-off protest wave.
Gen Z protests have already appeared in Nepal, Peru, and elsewhere. The generational shift is global. In Africa’s context, with its youthful demographics (median age under 20 in many states), the pressure on governance systems may only intensify.
Looking Ahead: Can Governments Adapt?
For many African governments, the question is not how to outlast protest, but how to transform in response to it.
– Inclusive economic growth with an eye toward youth employment must become a central policy pillar, not an afterthought.
– Transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures must be meaningful, not symbolic.
– Institutional reforms may be necessary to democratize political access and reduce elite capture.
– Dialogue, not dragnets: States need to listen — not silence — the voices of young people.
In the end, Gen Z’s challenge may be the greatest test for African democracies yet. This is a generation that demands more than just promises — they demand a future they can believe in.