New Media, Meme Culture and Political Satire: The Role of Performative Art in Political Activism in Kenya

Abstract

This study examines the impact of performatives and evolving social media typology in shaping political activism among Kenya’s Generation Z (Gen Z) movement during the 2024 anti-tax law protests. The study addresses the questions of the role of performatives and how social media has revolutionised their production, reproduction, and consumption in political activism in Kenya. Based on qualitative content analysis and critical discourse analysis, the study employed purposive sampling of a collection of digital artefacts, including memes, protest songs, TikTok videos, graffiti-inspired art, and Twitter threads, which were drawn from the #RejectFinanceBill2024 campaign. Analytical categories were derived from literature on performative activism, postcolonial media theory, and digital political communication. The findings suggest that Kenya’s Gen Z activists adopted a highly performative mode of social media resistance, blending entertainment with activism. The content of performatives was found to function not only as expressive tools but also as mechanisms for mobilising support, challenging state narratives, and asserting digital visibility. Social media was found to circumvent traditional media gatekeeping, amplifying the voices of the marginalised, and fostering an enlightened political culture. The study identifies a cyclic loop of production and reproduction of performatives, reinforcing African people’s communal identity formation and resistance posturing. Findings highlight how Gen Z’s social media use is reshaping civic engagement in the postcolonial public sphere. The study advances theoretical understanding of how visual and performative content is democratising political discourse, disrupting power hierarchies, and deepening participatory governance in the Global South. This study contributes to the body of literature on digital media and political communication by illuminating the intersection of social movement, culture, aesthetics, and performativities in resistance. These insights are particularly relevant for scholars and practitioners interested in digital media use, activism, political communication, and youth-led social movements.