If you are a Kenyan of a certain age – approaching retirement or already there – your life story likely began before the Wi-Fi signals and smartphone notifications. You most likely walked kilometres to school. Electricity was not available and running water not guaranteed. And your connection to the wider world? A small family transistor radio, carefully tuned to the only available national radio channel – Voice of Kenya (VOK). That was your “digital age.”
Fast forward to today, and we live in a world of smartphones, mobile banking, WhatsApp groups, online scams, artificial intelligence and an economy that increasingly requires digital participation. The pace is relentless and the changes endless. For many retirees and older Kenyans, it can feel challenging and unfamiliar as we scramble to catch up, adapt and stay relevant. This is the digital divide – not simply a divide in access to technology, but one of lived experience, created by the extraordinary changes that have taken place within just a few decades.
The new retirement reality
Today’s retirees in are retiring into a digital lifestyle and economy. This is not our parents’ retirement. Retirement today means entering a stage of life where many everyday activities – from banking and communication to accessing government and other essential services – are increasingly mediated through technology.
A retiree who once walked into a bank branch now finds that many transactions happen on a phone or online. Conversations that once took place over tea now happen on WhatsApp groups. Even essential services – from pensions to government processes – are increasingly digitised. For many of us, this creates an invisible but powerful barrier. It is not simply about learning how to use a device. It is about learning how to live differently.
The challenge is not ability – it is exposure. Many of today’s retirees built successful and meaningful lives in an analogue world. Their skills and competence were never defined by screens, apps or passwords. Yet today, they are expected to navigate an increasingly digital world with little preparation. For some, this can create a quiet but very real emotional struggle.
For many of us, there is also the fear of embarrassment – of asking for help and being met with impatience, especially from our adult children. As many will say with a knowing smile: “Watoto siku hizi hawana uvumilivu.” Ask the same technology question twice and you may quickly discover just how little patience there is! Over time, the fear of appearing slow or uninformed can make older adults reluctant to ask questions. That hesitation can turn into silence, limiting opportunities to learn even the most essential technologies.
There is also the discomfort of dependence on others. For some, seemingly simple tasks such as sending money, checking a bank balance, accessing information or completing an online form may require assistance. The help may be available, but repeatedly having to ask someone else to do these things can gradually erode a sense of independence.
But perhaps the most significant for many of us is the fear of being scammed. Kenya’s digital progress has opened remarkable opportunities, but it has also introduced new risks. Fraudulent messages, suspicious links, impersonation and mobile-money scams have made many retirees understandably cautious. For some, the safest option feels like staying away altogether. But at what cost?
Staying away from technology is increasingly no longer a realistic option. Choosing not to engage can limit access to essential services and information, increase vulnerability because of lack of awareness, and contribute to social disconnection in an increasingly digital society. Family conversations, financial transactions, government services and even opportunities for learning and contribution are now often mediated through digital platforms. In this context, digital literacy is no longer optional. It has become a new form of independence and that is why the “tech savvy shosh must rise!”
Becoming the “tech-savvy shosh”
The good news is that digital skills are learnable – at any age. As may of us know, retirement is not the end of learning. If anything, it is a stage of life when our willingness and openness to continue learning becomes even more important. The idea that technology belongs to the young is one of the most limiting beliefs an older person can carry.
Becoming the “tech-savvy shosh” is not about mastering every new application or gadget. It is about gaining enough confidence to navigate everyday life with independence, safety and self-respect. For some of us, it may begin simply with learning how to make a mobile-money transaction safely, search for information online, join an online call or navigate an online government service without immediately calling one of the children.
These may seem like small steps, but they represent something much bigger – greater confidence, greater control and, importantly, the confidence to keep learning and exploring. We do not have to master the digital world overnight. We can learn gradually, building our skills and confidence one step at a time. Each new skill makes the next one a little less intimidating. And with every step, we become better equipped to remain independent, connected and fully engaged in an increasingly digital world.
Equally important is the environment in which learning happens. While some retirees may choose to learn on their own through forums such as YouTube, others are choosing to learn together – in chamas, religious groups, retirement groups and community organisations. In these spaces, the experience can become less intimidating because there is shared understanding, patience and encouragement. Learning becomes collective rather than isolating.
Creating safe spaces where older people can build digital literacy can also change how we approach asking for help. The goal should not simply be to have someone complete a digital task on our behalf, but to learn how to do it ourselves. The difference is important: one can reinforce dependence, while the other builds confidence, capability and independence. For many retirees, this distinction matters.
Staying safe in a digital world
As retirees become more digitally engaged, safety must remain a major concern. The digital space requires a new kind of awareness – one that combines curiosity with caution. Knowing not to share passwords or personal information, being sceptical of urgent financial requests, avoiding suspicious links and questioning deals that seem unusually attractive are not simply technical skills. They are essential habits for navigating today’s digital environment.
Confidence without caution can be costly. But fear without knowledge can also keep older people unnecessarily excluded. The answer is therefore not to frighten retirees away from technology, but to equip them with the knowledge and confidence to use it safely.
Kenya’s digital transformation has been impressive, positioning the country as a leader in innovation across the continent. Yet, as we celebrate this progress, we must also ask: who is at risk of being left behind? There is a growing need for age-inclusive digital literacy initiatives, simpler and more accessible digital platforms, and intentional efforts to support older adults in navigating this new landscape.
A truly digital society must be inclusive of all generations – not just the young and technologically fluent. This is therefore not only an individual challenge. It is a societal one.
The tech-savvy shosh
In my view, the tech-savvy shosh is a symbol of the changing face of ageing in Kenya. For many of us over the age of sixty, the journey from the transistor radio to smartphones, artificial intelligence and other digital technologies is no small matter. It represents a profound shift in how we experience and navigate everyday life. A fact, that many young people may not understand.
But this is not an impossible journey. We are a generation that has adapted before – through enormous social changes, economic shifts and national transformation. We have learnt new ways of working, communicating and living. Learning to navigate the digital world is simply the next step – and one we must embrace.
The world today is undeniably digital. The question, then, is not whether retirees and older Kenyans can learn technology. We can. The real question is whether we are willing to remain curious enough to learn, confident enough to ask for help, and cautious enough to navigate the digital world safely.
Because the future does not belong only to the young. It belongs to those who remain curious, open and willing to learn and grow. And perhaps – especially – to Kenya’s tech-savvy shosh.
Dr. Kaendi Munguti is a certified retirement and transition coach and is the Founder and CEO of Reinvent RetireMINT