These elections, young people should write a different script
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials register students of the University of Nairobi (UoN) as voters on October 13, 2021 during the launch of a voter registration drive in institutions of Higher Learning held at UoN Towers.
What you need to know:
- Maybe it’s time we changed the script and wrote a different story of young people in leadership.
- It’s high time the society exploited the latent potential in the younger generation.
There are beguiling thoughts that come with idleness and boredom. We are told that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, but the devil in me always drives me to write.
In my moments of solitude, I reminisce my childhood, when life was fun and stress-free. I had freedom of exploration with no worries about failure or the impact of the choices I made.
I remember how we would jump from one desk to another shouting at the top of our lungs.
“I want to be a lawyer, a doctor, a pilot!” (It’s funny how none of us dreamt of becoming a plumber or a chef). Somewhere along the way, life happened.
We happily stole peanuts on our way to school and trekked kilometres to save fare for candy. Little did I know that Karma was watching; now, the government is stealing our peanut salaries in the name of taxation.
Right to vote
I am not saying we shouldn’t pay taxes, but don’t you feel conned when you have to fill the same potholes the government promised to fix? Being an adult comes with responsibilities; such as looking for a job, filing tax returns, and paying student loans.
“Life happens and you have to live it,” that’s what they always say. What if I told you that you don’t have to live the same story twice? Sometimes, when an actor doesn’t deliver as expected, we have to audition a different person or change the script. Sometimes, those experienced in a particular industry fail to produce the expected results.
Just like technology, ideas become obsolete over time. Maybe it’s time we changed the script and wrote a different story of young people in leadership.
I think that, with technology, young people can be more productive. It’s high time the society exploited the latent potential in the younger generation.
With the energy and eagerness to work, I believe the youth can make better choices. It’s time we stopped complaining and utilised our right to vote, by choosing leaders who are willing to make a positive difference. Your current situation is a result of the choices you made in the past.
Alfonce Micah Yano, 23, information technology graduate from University of Eldoret.
Are you aged 10-20 and would like to be Nation’s young reporter? Email your 400-600-word article to [email protected]
