Digital patriotism: Gen Zs mark Mashujaa Day by watching TV, sharing stories online
As Kenya marked Mashujaa Day on Monday, October 20, 2025, a new survey has revealed how the country’s vibrant Gen Zs are redefining what patriotism looks like in the digital age.
According to the Stahili Pulse Report, which surveyed 3,241 adults across all 47 counties, Generation Z, those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, are choosing to celebrate the day through screens and social media feeds rather than stadium gatherings.
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The report shows that over 1,000 Gen Z respondents chose to attend the national event while more than 700 watched the ceremonies on television.
About 500 marked the occasion by sharing stories, photos, and tributes online.
Fewer than 500 chose to spend the day visiting family or staying home, while a smaller segment said they treated the day as ordinary.
Mashujaa Day, dedicated to honoring Kenya’s national heroes, emerged as the third most cherished public holiday, after Madaraka Day and New Year’s Day, across all generations.
This year’s celebrations at Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui County carried a somber tone following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on October 15, 2025 in India.
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President William Ruto led the commemoration, joined by Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the day’s guest of honour.
The government revised the event’s theme to honour Raila, long regarded as a democracy champion and liberation-era figure, whose burial took place on Sunday, October 19, at his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County.
He was laid to rest in accordance with his wish to be buried within 72 hours of his passing.
Despite speculation that Mashujaa Day might be postponed amid national mourning, the ceremony went ahead, framed as a tribute to Raila Odinga’s lifelong advocacy for unity, service, and resilience.
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