Gen Zs need voters cards, not street protests to make Kenya great, says Bashatir

Mbarak Bashatir in Mombasa/ BRIAN OTIENO

Gen Zs will not need to go to the streets to demonstrate if they register as voters en masse and elect the right leaders in the 2027 general election, businessman and politician Mbarak Bashatir has said.

He said many problems can easily be resolved by electing the right leaders.

“Getting into the streets is not the solution. Destroying people’s property is not the solution. This is a great opportunity for the Gen Z to register as voters and make Kenya great again,” Bashatir said.

He spoke during a radio talk show at one of the national FM stations Wednesday evening.

The businessman said the Gen Z, who make up a significant percentage of the country's population, have the power to decide Kenya’s future.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission rolled out the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration on Monday, targeting more than six million new voters.

The electoral commission said the exercise is not simply an administrative duty but the heartbeat of Kenyan democracy.

Kenyan citizens aged 18 and above can access IEBC services through the CVR.

Services include registration for the first time, correcting or updating voter details, transferring registration to a new electoral area and verifying existing details.

On Wednesday Bashatir said young people should make conscious choices at the ballot to avoid regrets.

“Taking that Sh1,000, Sh500 or Sh200 to cause mayhem because a politician has asked you to is not the solution to our problems,” Bashatir said.

He said politicians are the cause of many problems in the country.

Bashatir accused politicians of invading private properties.

“These are not always genuine squatters. They are people paid to invade other people’s lands and claim they have been living in the area for generations,” he said.

He said land owners also have rights and should be protected.

The Ardhi Fund in Mombasa must be clearly and meticulously tailored to protect squatters and the land owners.

The government has secured Sh2 billion for the purchase of controversial and disputed lands from their owners with a view of settling squatters.

President William Ruto has tasked Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Mining CS Hassan Joho to oversee the settlement of squatters at the Coast.

However, Bashatir called for caution saying some professional squatters have invaded lands with title deeds before.

“How can these land owners be protected then? Because you cannot force me to sell my land because it was invaded by professional squatters in collaboration with politicians,” he said.

The businessman said land issues are a stage four cancer, especially at the Coast.

He said with two years to the general elections, politicians are now looking to use the land question for political mileage.

Bashatir said the historical land problems in Mombasa and at the Coast started with poor leadership.

“It is us leaders to sit down and decide what is best for our people and what is just in front of the eyes of Allah,” he said.

Three weeks ago, Joho said he will not allow anyone at the Coast to be evicted form a piece of land that they have been living on as long as he is still CS.

His remarks was followed by protests by residents at Khadija area of Nyali sub-county over a tycoon who is said to have been frustrating them threatening to evict over 200 families from the 2.5 acres of land which the tycoon claims is his.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The IEBC rolled out the Continuous Voter Registration on Monday but turnout among Gen Zs has been low. The low turnout has leaders worried as focus shifts to Gen Zs, who are now being targeted by politicians.