The protests that shook Nairobi: Did technology turn the tide?

Thousands of young Kenyans protested in the streets in June in Nairobi against a proposed bill that would have increased taxes on basic products and services, including staple foods. Human rights organisations report that there were over 335 arrests, 361 injuries, and at least 39 fatalities as a result of the protests.

Zello: The Protesters’ Secret Weapon?

During the mayhem, American engineer Alexey Gavrilov’s 2007 app Zello served as the main means of communication and coordination for demonstrators. According to six protesters who spoke with Rest of World, Zello—a smartphone app that functions as a walkie-talkie—helped them locate gathering spots, avoid confrontation with law enforcement, and warn one another of impending threats.

A Game-Changer in Mobilisation

Experts in digital services and political observers observed that Zello was instrumental in making the protests among the most successful in Kenyan history. The report by Rest of World noted that political analyst and University of Nairobi lecturer Herman Manyora pointed out that mobilisation had always been a major obstacle to organising earlier protests. Manyora said the app’s capacity to convert phones into walkie-talkies “made the difference for protesters”.

Rapid Surge in Downloads

Downloads from Zello skyrocketed during the demonstrations. In Kenya, the Google Play store had over 40,000 downloads of it between June 17 and June 25. Additionally, from June 19 to 24, it was the third most downloaded app from Apple’s App Store in Kenya. On June 25, it rose from 45th place to the fourth spot in the Google Play store’s download rankings for communications apps.

President’s Recognition

Because to Zello’s immense popularity, President William Ruto recognised the organisation’s contribution to the protests on July 2. He observed that a large number of nonviolent demonstrators were using Zello to plan their routes and mobilise one another to flee the city.

Expert Opinions on Zello’s Impact

The CEO of Dotsavvy Africa, a digital strategy consultancy based in Nairobi, Moses Kemibaro, commented on the extraordinary scope of the protests and the unexpected usage of technology by the youth. The usage of Zello in protests is not new; it was used in a number of international events, including as the anti-government rallies in Venezuela in 2014 and the disaster relief efforts in Texas in 2017.

Real-Life Stories from the Protests

Protesters narrated their experiences with Zello during the demonstrations. Because demonstrators were being shot at by the police, they were advised to rely on Zello. Even though they couldn’t see their friends in the confusion, the Zello group managed to assist them in finding one another.

Decline in Downloads Post-Protests

Downloads of Zello have decreased since the protests’ first week. Kemibaro noted that while Zello was the appropriate product at the right time, its durability beyond this particular scenario remains dubious and anticipated that the app’s popularity in Kenya would further drop off as the protests subsided.