Youth should run for office, be dynasties

Our political space is marred by conversations about “dynasties” and “Wanjiku”. But who commands what or doesn’t should be of no concern to young leaders looking to change the narrative. The atmosphere is ripe for leaders who inspire hope and reform for the common good.

However, the problem is that young people run for office as an attempt at making a name and not to win and lead! While this is not entirely debauched, we really are selling ourselves short. The electoral process hinges heavily on young blood. Think about the campaign strategy, slogans, ground work and even the unfortunate lot contracted to ‘swallow’ teargas and throw stones to protest unpalatable election results.

The success of the 2017 election campaigns mainly depended on messaging that targeted particularly the youth demographic.

We head to the 2022 polls with a projection that the median age of the Kenyan voter will be 26 years. But according to research by pro-democracy organisations, the most politically disengaged group is youth aged 18-25. Yet they are expected to participate in the elections.

Political actors should engage young people constructively to participate in democratic processes. World over, young people have very little confidence in their governments; hence their hesitance to vote. But youth have to realise that they have the right to represent and be represented — and effectively at that.

The first step to beating the dynasties is to become a dynasty. But that will not happen overnight, especially not when not in positions of political authority. Perhaps the youth tribe will become the new political organising in Africa because of the rapid growth of this demographic.

Perhaps the hope of this nation lies on the youth becoming the third ‘tribe’, after the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’, and rid us of the negative ethnicity of the Kenyan political organising.

Ms Aduma is an organiser at Run For Office. [email protected] @AdumaWilkister