Kenya, a youthful country with approximately 75% of its population falling within the range of 18-35 years, faces the challenge of ensuring that young people are adequately represented and engaged in the political landscape. This article delves into the requirements for voting in Kenya, the constitutional rights that guarantee youth participation, the challenges faced by young voters, and the various initiatives aimed at enhancing their engagement in the political process.
Constitutional and Legal Framework
The Constitution guarantees the right to vote to every Kenyan citizen above 18 years of age, ensuring that the election process is inclusive and representative. Currently, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) requires individuals to be at least 18 years old to register as voters. The constitution enshrines crucial rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion.
These rights allow individuals, including young people, to actively engage in political discourse and contribute to shaping public opinion. The constitution has provided affirmative action for the youth to enhance their participation. Article 55 of the Constitution provides that the state shall take affirmative action to ensure the youth are represented and participate in political spheres.
The constitution in Article 100 provides for the youth to be included as part of the 12 nominated members of the national assembly to be elected through proportional representation and 2 youth members of the senate to be elected through proportional representation. Further the article provides for the youth to be included as part of the 4 representing marginalized groups in every County Assembly.
The Constitution is essential in preventing electoral malpractice and ensuring transparency during Kenya's elections. It mandates that elections be held within specified time frames and establishes mechanisms for resolving election disputes. It establishes the separation of powers, guaranteeing checks and balances among the three branches of government and preventing any single entity from becoming too powerful.
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Challenges to Youth Political Participation
Even though youth account for over 70% of Kenya's population, they only comprised about 40% of newly registered voters in the latest election. According to the African Union and COMESA Election Observation Mission observation report, despite the high youth population (18-35 years), there was low youth registration in the 2022 GE, representing 39.84% (8,812,790) of the total registered voters; a decline of 5.17% from the 2017 figures.
The low youth participation was attributed to the general conception that the votes do not count in the elections, lack of trust and confidence in the political system and the youth’s unemployment and poverty challenges. Potential voters face several barriers to registration, such as being underage or lacking proper identification. During the 2022 General Elections, thousands of youth were interested, motivated, and willing to vie, but funding was a challenge.
It was also noted that the registration messaging systems did not directly target young people and attempted to utilize digital platforms during outreach. In Mombasa, Nakuru, Nairobi, and Kisumu, youth gangs were hired by candidates to disrupt opponents’ campaign events or dissuade voters from casting their ballots during the nomination process.
Initiatives to Enhance Youth Engagement
Engaging youth in the political process should not be done solely to confirm that a democracy is working because more youth are voting. We should engage youth in order to transform the way decisions are made in the national and county levels. When youth are included in the decision making process, the government becomes a more inclusive institution.
Furthermore, youth are an untapped source of new ideas that can result in greater political success. By mainstreaming youth participation in its management and leadership structures, stakeholders in the political process have the opportunity to identify, tap, nurture, and train emerging youth leaders who can provide future leadership. Through youth congresses, youth wings, youth clubs, and/or other forums and structures, youth become an integrated part of governance structure at local and national levels.
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Developing youth programmes includes short-term, middle-term and long-term strategies and activities. Relevant stakeholders can develop and internalize concrete qualitative and quantitative indicators of achievement as well as risk analysis for the youth development programmes. Youth can also contribute to the policy making process. This ensures that the voices of the youth are heard and incorporated in the electoral policies and other governance structures.
In December 2021, Parliament passed the Political Parties Amendment Act 2022, which has significant implications for the youth in Kenya as it seeks to increase the participation and representation of young people in political parties. The Act requires political parties to allocate 15% of their positions to individuals under the age of 35 years. This provision is a positive step towards empowering the youth and giving them a voice in the decision-making processes of political parties.
In June of 2022, The Youth Cafe and other youth organizations trained dozens of young voter educators at the county level on the electoral legal framework and voting procedures, in cooperation with the IEBC’s Youth Coordinating Committee. This initiative outpaced the IEBC’s voter education program which began in mid-July. For the first time, the IEBC also accredited hundreds of students from the Universities and Colleges Students’ Peace Association of Kenya as election observers.
The Youth Cafe (TYC), a youth-led organization aimed at achieving sustainable development, social equity, innovative solutions, community resilience, and transformative change, believes that when young people are given the chance to have informed involvement in economic, social and political life, they can build a prosperous and peaceful future for Kenya. TYC promotes accountability initiatives and increases advocacy for political stability and good governance to ensure there is a transparent, democratic, and accountable environment while enhancing further collaboration among stakeholders.
The Youth Cafe's Role in Empowering Youth
The Youth Cafe (TYC) has been actively promoting equality and empowering youth since 2014. They have reached 1,780,000 young individuals, focusing on addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities. TYC equips young people with the necessary tools, skills, and networks to engage with decision-makers, enhancing service delivery and policy implementation.
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Through initiatives like the Public Financial Management program, TYC has seen significant impact, with 78% of young leaders in Kenya increasing their knowledge in areas such as corruption and the tax system. The organization has also facilitated the development of the Kenya Youth Manifesto 2022, empowering youth to influence those in power and drive positive change in their communities. The 'My Voice' program provides a platform for youth to engage in democratic processes and improve their financial management knowledge.
Youth and Leadership: Challenges for youth participation in politics
Key Objectives of Youth Engagement Initiatives
- To enhance the nature of political systems and democratic values.
- To underscore the importance of youth engagement in Kenya's political process.
- To gain insights into future opportunities and identify gaps for youth to engage with political leaders and decision-makers, fostering better democratic values.
- To monitor trends in youth representation and participation across various political parties, counties and elective positions.
- To provide recommendations to enhance youth political participation in future elections.
Youth Participation in Kenya's General Elections: A Comparative Analysis
A look at the data from the last three general elections in Kenya, provides a comprehensive overview of youth participation rates. This data helps in understanding the trends and patterns of youth involvement in the electoral process.
| Election Year | Youth Voter Percentage (18-35 years) | Key Observations |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | [Data from 2013] | [Observations about youth participation in 2013] |
| 2017 | [Data from 2017] | [Observations about youth participation in 2017] |
| 2022 | 39.84% | Decline of 5.17% from 2017, attributed to lack of trust and unemployment. |
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