From opposite ends of the continent, Africa’s Gen Z youth take to streets : NPR
A demonstrator holds a sign during a demonstration against repeated breakdowns of water and electricity in Madagascar.
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Johannesburg, South Africa – Demonstrations led by young people are hiking countries in disparate regions of Africa, from the Indian Ocean to the Sahara, with members of the so -called generation Z – those under 28 years of age – who descend into the streets of frustration over the years of bad governance.
Less than a week of demonstrations against water and electricity shortages in Madagascar, an island off the east coast of Africa, prompted President Andry Rajoelina to dissolve his government on Monday, Say on national television: “I heard the call, I felt suffering.”
But demonstrations are underway, with demonstrators demanding Rajoelina – who first came to power in a 2009 But later, resigned and challenged the elections in 2018 and 2023 – also leave.
Fanilo, a 21 -year -old medical student from the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, who participated in demonstrations, said that the government’s treatment of demonstrations has only strengthened the determination of young people.
“We went out that day with flowers, signs, singing in a completely peaceful way … so that our voice can be heard, on how we have suffered a serious repression of security forces without any valid reason,” he told NPR. NPR only uses his first name because he is afraid of being targeted by these security forces.
The demonstrators faced security forces during a demonstration against repeated water and electricity breakdowns in Madagascar.
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“At the beginning, we were struck by tear gas, then suddenly, we heard shots … We all realized that they wanted to kill each other. Several people died that day with ball injury.”
The Madagascan government has not given a death toll, but the United Nations claimed that at least 22 people have been killed and accuse the security forces of a heavy response.
Another protester, who did not want to be appointed for fear that she will not be targeted, told NPR that she should go to the emergency room after being struck by a police projectile.
“I joined the demonstrations because it is enough. We have lost our most fundamental rights, corruption is everywhere, injustice is everywhere, public services collapse,” she said. “In my house for example, we have not had running water for six years, and yet we always pay the bills.”
Global phenomenon
Fanilo, the medical student,, Said that most of the demonstrations, which are organic rather than led by a specific group, were organized via Facebook. Demonstrators use a Cartoon skull wearing a straw hat like their symbol.
It is taken from the Japanese animated series “One Piece”, about pirates fighting a repressive government.
A demonstrator has a pirate flag of the Japanese anime One Piece during a demonstration against repeated breakdowns of water and electricity in Madagascar. Inspired by the demonstrations of “Gen Z” in Indonesia and Nepal, the movement led by young people has targeted corruption.
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The skull and the crossed bones have also become a symbol of the manifestations of Gen-Z in Asia, like those who overturned the government of Nepal last month.
Fanilo says that the Madagascans looked at what had happened in Nepal, where many were angry with videos of the children of politicians living in luxury, or “nepo kids”.
“We are going through the same things and that gave us the courage to get up and demonstrate,” he said. “We demand the complete overhaul of the whole of our system…. As young people, we represent the future of our nation.”
Apart from Nepal, elsewhere in Asia Philippines on corruption and in Indonesia On the advantages of politicians. Europe is not immune either, with young people in Serbia Going down this year in the streets in massive demonstrations for a deadly station and government corruption has perceived.
Madagascar is not an isolated example in Africa either. Through the Indian Ocean, in Kenya On the east coast of Africa, massive generation Z demonstrations have taken place since last year, when thousands of people have taken up the street to protest an unpopular financing bill. At the height of the demonstrations, the demonstrators stormed and partially burned the Parliament in Nairobi and dozens of demonstrators were killed.
Despite some concessions from President William Ruto, large -scale sporadic demonstrations continued this year, mainly organized on social networks.
There have also been demonstrations in West Africa. In Togo, in June, thousands of people turned out to protest against what they said that the president’s attempt to change the Constitution to stay in power indefinitely.
The demonstrators scream slogans during a demonstration led by young people in a market field in Rabat, Morocco, September 29, 2025, calling for reforms in the public health and education sectors.
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The demonstrations also rage in North Africa, where young people in more than ten cities in Morocco this week have organized the greatest anti-government gatherings for years. Wednesday evening was one of the most violent to date. Protesters call for health and education reforms and explode government spending in stages before the FIFA 2030 World Cup.
Moroccan demonstrators use social media platforms like Tiktok and Discord – a popular messaging application among players and also used during the uprising of Nepal – to organize themselves, with the “Gen Z 212” group and other groups coordinating the rallies.
“At the heart of these demonstrations are grievances on the deterioration of socio-economic conditions, the increase in the cost of living, government failures and political repression,” explains Mohamed Keita, analyst of African affairs.
Keita notes that the majority of the African population is under 35 years old and that millions are unemployed and frustrated by the status quo.
“These demonstrations are an account for governments that have not fulfilled their basic functions, offering decent public services, things like water, electricity or the difficulties of these governments to respond to requests for jobs for Millions of young people entering the labor market each year. “”
Keita says that although there have been uprisings in Africa before, “this generation is able to use technology and communication tools and platforms in a way that the previous generation did not, did not know.”
These young people who are warned in technology “also have access to information so that they do not fall for government propaganda”.
