Youths hold the key to Kenya’s stability and progress – Kindiki

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during a performance with young people at the launch of National Youth Week 2025 in Kilifi/DPCS

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called for greater inclusion of young people in shaping Kenya’s future, saying they hold the biggest stake in the country's stability and progress.

Speaking at the official launch of the National Youth Week 2025 in Kilifi town, Kindiki emphasized that the voices of young people must not only be heard but also acted upon.

He said the government must take youth input seriously and implement their ideas because their future depends on today’s decisions.

“As we discharge our responsibilities, young people must have their voice heard, but not just their voice being heard. Their input must be put into action and what they ask us to do should be implemented,” Kindiki said.

He noted that young people have a longer future ahead of them compared to the older generation, and therefore suffer the most if the country is mismanaged.

“If those of us in responsibility mismanage the country, ruin the chances and opportunities for young people, some of us, the older folks, will get away with it and can manage the remainder of our lives one way or the other. But the young people will have no country, no opportunity and we will have destroyed their lifetime,” he added.

Kindiki stressed that young people have a right to demand good governance and the making of sound decisions that will secure their future.

“Young people have a right to demand that the right decisions be made for the country currently, and decisions that have an implication on the future,” he said.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during the launch of National Youth Week 2025 in Kilifi/DPCS

He also called for a shift in how society perceives the youth.

The DP urged that instead of viewing young people as a problem, the country must see them as an opportunity.

He reiterated that this is also the position of the Kenya Kwanza administration.

“We do not see young people as a burden or as a crisis. Young people are a resource, an opportunity, and an investment for Kenya — for our country now and tomorrow,” Kindiki said.

His remarks come amid ongoing national conversations about youth unemployment, civic engagement, and the role of young people in driving Kenya’s development agenda.

Kindiki further noted that going forward, the Government will increase its interaction with the youth, engage with and listen to them more as well as act on and implement far reaching governance and accountability changes, incorporating the views and input of young people.

The National Youth Week is a buildupto the International Youth Day (IYD), which will be celebrated on August 12, 2025.