BWIRE: State should focus on getting views from young people

On listening to young people, Oscar Sudi, MP Kapseret, said, "I spoke to the President and told him we have to listen to these young people. Before we prepare next year's Finance Bill, we must have a sit-down with them.

Millie Odhiambo, MP Suba East, also supported the need for youth involvement saying, "Even my niece told me she doesn't want to be associated with MPs. If we do not take Super Tuesday as a wake-up call for the country, I don't know what else we can take as a wake-up call.”

Kenyan activist and sister to former US President Barack Obama, Auma Obama, was part of the protests on that black Tuesday and said, “We're taxing the jobless and we're telling them to take a loan."⁠

The sentiments here are selected carefully, and they are not from Gen Zs, no. They are from those that hold power, or have the voice to make policy changes in Kenya, at the moment.

Gen Z, even with all the issues tabled being very valid, have to accept the leaders now are the same ones we can rely on at the moment before we go to the ballot in 2027. Rapid, unconstitutional, undemocratic changes have never yielded good fruit.

In fact, the Gen Z, having paved way for change, should be engaged a little more by the policymakers. Just as Hon Oscar. Sudi, says, if he means it. And the sudden change in tone that the President has, gives hope there should open channels created for the Gen Z to express their views, and not just in the streets.

The idea, is prior public participation, and not participation linked to any proposed bills or laws, no. Just prior participation on the current situation and what is urgent. Expressed in a formal manner, either physically, or, preferably, through online surveys.

The government also needs to take into account that not all youth have access to the internet and smart devices. According to the United Nations, in Africa, young people face underemployment and lack of opportunities (including participation) because of little or no access to the internet, thus lack information about opportunities. This can lead to lack of timely information, for public participation, thus the need to also combine online and physical collection of views.

At the end of the day, we need to remember that in Kenya, parliamentarians have power, being the representatives of the people in a sovereign state with a multiparty democracy. Civil society has experience in being a voice, advocating for and pushing for a youth agenda as well as the advantage of having existing recruitment networks.

The Kenyan youth have a demography dividend and the necessary energy it takes to protest, should they decide to. This is a level of power level of power that can have an impact on policy outcomes, as witnessed after the June 25 successful Occupy Parliament protest. President William Ruto, though initially high-handed, on the next day, surprisingly refused to assent to the contentious Finance Bill and sent it back to Parliament, saying all of it should go, due to the pressure of the youth.

Democracy Support Researcher and scholar, [email protected]