Entice young people to end voter apathy
Members of Youth United for Kenya during a past press conference. There’s a need to empower the youth for better involvement and stop using them as just a means to an end every five years when the electoral cycle comes around.
With the general election just over a month away, many young people say they no longer see the point in voting. Why bother if the incoming leader, just as their predecessor, does nothing to improve your life?
Politicians eyeing elective office and their allies have been making increasingly strident calls to the youth in what they consider to be their strongholds to go out and vote come August 9. But truth be told, the past few years have not been so kind to the Kenyan youth. With the population of the youth in Kenya among the highest, that has led to several challenges—such as lack of employment opportunities, poor pay and limited entrepreneurial ventures.
The youth constitute the largest proportion of the population. They, however, tend to be marginalised and underrepresented in state leadership spheres—including in the government and political parties. There’s a need, therefore, to empower them for better involvement and stop using them as just a means to an end every five years when the electoral cycle comes around.
Political alienation
The biggest challenge that the electoral cycle faces is voter apathy and political alienation by the youth, though with increased involvement they could positively impact governance. But they are rarely actively involved in politics; nor do they have a permanent party stand.
Only eight million of the 22 million registered voters—about a third—are aged 18-35, reflecting an increasing apathy towards politics and governance among young potential voters. Moreover, youth registered to vote in 2022 are 39.84 per cent, a decline from 2017.
There is a need for the government to invest in reclaiming the image of the electoral body (IEBC) to restore confidence among the young voters as well as those of other voters’ groups. Lastly, unless voter apathy is addressed through appropriate interventions and civic education, it may as well end up not so well for the country.
Mr Ngari is a communication and media student at Rongo University. [email protected]
