NAIROBI, KENYA – In a solemn display of cross-border solidarity, a group of predominantly Gen Z activists gathered in Nairobi’s Central Business District on the evening of Thursday, November 20, 2025, to hold a candlelit vigil for Tanzanians killed during post-election protests. The event, held near the Kenya National Archives, saw Kenyan and other East African youths mourn the victims of a violent crackdown and call for justice, underscoring a burgeoning youth-led movement demanding greater democratic accountability across the region.

The vigil follows a turbulent period in Tanzania after the disputed October 29, 2025, general election. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with over 97% of the vote after her main challengers were disqualified or jailed, a move that international observers and human rights groups condemned as a suppression of dissent. The election results triggered widespread protests in major cities like Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, which were met with a severe response from state security forces, including the use of live ammunition, tear gas, and a nationwide internet shutdown.

A Contested Toll and Calls for Investigation

Verifying the exact number of casualties has been challenging due to the communications blackout and government restrictions. However, reports from various organizations paint a grim picture. On October 31, the United Nations reported receiving credible information of at least 10 deaths. By early November, opposition parties, including the sidelined Chadema, claimed the death toll was in the hundreds, with some sources citing figures as high as 700. Later reports from the UN and coalitions of African civil society organizations suggested hundreds, and possibly thousands, may have been killed. Harrowing accounts emerged of security forces storming homes and hospitals struggling to cope with the number of dead and injured.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have extensively documented the escalating repression in Tanzania, noting a pattern of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings in the lead-up to and aftermath of the election. Both organizations, along with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, have called for independent and impartial investigations into the killings and for those responsible to be held accountable. In response to mounting internal and international pressure, President Hassan on November 14 announced the formation of a special commission to investigate the post-election violence.

The Rise of East African Gen Z Activism

The Nairobi vigil is not an isolated event but rather a reflection of a broader trend of digitally-connected youth movements across East Africa. Kenya's own Gen Z-led protests against the Finance Bill in June 2024 demonstrated the power of social media to mobilize thousands, largely independent of traditional political structures. That movement, though met with a forceful state response resulting in numerous arrests and deaths, has seemingly inspired a new wave of youth-led activism focused on governance, human rights, and economic justice.

Analysts observe that young people in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are increasingly forming informal alliances, sharing tactics and offering solidarity online. This digital Pan-Africanism presents a new challenge to established political orders, as hashtags and viral posts transcend borders faster than state responses can be coordinated. The solidarity shown in Nairobi for Tanzanian victims is a clear manifestation of this shared consciousness and a signal that the region's youth are watching and willing to act on issues beyond their own national boundaries.

The implications for the East African Community (EAC) are significant. While the bloc is founded on principles of cooperation and integration, the rise of youth-led, cross-border movements demanding democratic accountability could test the relationships between member states. Governments in the region, wary of the precedent set by Kenya's youth protests, are reportedly increasing surveillance and preemptive crackdowns on dissent. As the youth of East Africa continue to find a common voice on issues of justice and human rights, the vigil in Nairobi serves as a poignant reminder of both the tragic cost of political violence and the resilient, hopeful spirit of a new generation demanding change.