NAIROBI, Kenya- Prominent Gen Z activist Hanifa Adan has resigned from Radio Generation after just four months on air, saying she discovered that her commitment to activism made it difficult to practice objective journalism.
The activist and radio host announced her departure on August 5, 2026, revealing that her final broadcast aired on August 3, when she co-hosted The Generation Report and interviewed Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa.
In a candid statement reflecting on her experience, Hanifa said the interview marked the end of her brief journey in mainstream media and confirmed what she had come to realize about herself.
“My interview with Didmus Barasa was my last one at Radio Generation. By then, I had already resigned and was moving on to something else. It was probably the interview that best captured what those few months had taught me when I joined the station; I was far more of an activist than a journalist,” she wrote.
Hanifa joined Radio Generation on April 3, 2026, despite having no formal journalism training. She said she accepted the opportunity because she believed mainstream media could provide another avenue to demand accountability from Kenya’s leaders.
However, she admitted that the role exposed the tension between advocacy and journalism, particularly when interviewing political leaders whose actions she strongly opposed.
“I had no patience for politicians, especially those I felt had contributed to where this country is today,” she said.
The activist explained that her convictions often conflicted with journalism’s expectation of neutrality and fairness, making it increasingly difficult to separate her personal beliefs from her professional responsibilities.
During her tenure, Hanifa said she faced repeated criticism both inside and outside the newsroom over how she handled political interviews.
“I was constantly told I was emotional and biased, especially towards UDA politicians,” she revealed.
She acknowledged that some of the criticism stemmed from her inability to detach herself from issues she had passionately campaigned against long before joining radio.
Hanifa also disclosed that, at the beginning of her employment, she resisted interviewing certain political leaders altogether because she believed offering them airtime contradicted the principles she had advocated for during the Gen Z movement.
She later reconsidered that position after reflecting on journalism’s role in holding leaders accountable through questioning rather than silence. Even so, she ultimately concluded that activism remained the path where she could make the greatest contribution.
She said the experience taught her that activism and journalism, while both serving the public interest, require fundamentally different approaches.
Her resignation marks the end of a short but closely watched chapter that began when she transitioned from street activism into mainstream broadcasting.
Hanifa rose to national prominence during Kenya’s 2024 Gen Z protests, becoming one of the movement’s most recognizable voices through civic education, fundraising initiatives, and campaigns demanding government accountability.
Her appointment to Radio Generation generated significant public interest, with supporters viewing it as an opportunity to bring youthful perspectives and stronger accountability conversations into traditional media.
Throughout her four-month tenure, she interviewed politicians and public figures while co-hosting The Generation Report. However, the role also attracted scrutiny from critics who questioned whether she could remain impartial while maintaining her outspoken activism.
She said leaving the newsroom does not signal a retreat from public life but rather a return to the work that first earned her national recognition.
Hanifa assured her supporters that her commitment to political accountability remains unchanged. She said she will continue speaking out on issues affecting Kenyans, only now outside the constraints of a newsroom.
“I will always care, and I will always fight,” she said, reaffirming her dedication to public advocacy.
