Let us see potential of youth, not inexperience

Seems there is a deliberate effort to lock Kenyan youth in the waiting room and discourage young people not to contest for leadership in the forthcoming General Election. One of the challenges young people face in politics is being dismissed; you’re too young for it, you are not ready for it, you’re not experienced for it and so on and so forth.

Mistakenly, youth is viewed as prejudice or a disadvantage. There is so much hatred and violence towards youth seeking elective positions. It shouldn’t be that way. This is why we must cut the young some slack.

The world has changed. Tables are turning. Across the world, leaders are becoming younger. At 39, Emmanuel Macron won the French presidential election to become the country’s youngest president ever. Leftist President Gabriel Boric won Chile’s presidential election in 2021 to become the country’s youngest ever leader at 35 years of age. Former Finland’s Premier Sanna Marin got the top job in 2019 aged 34. Here in Africa, at age 44, Bassirou Diyomaye Faye became Senegal’s youngest president.

For too long, young people have been relegated to the sidelines, often dismissed as idealistic, inexperienced, or simply not ready to lead. Yet history is replete with examples of young people, ignited movements, challenges the status quo and brought about profound change.

Youth bring fresh lens to entrenched problems, unburdened by cynicism that can sometimes accompany years of experience. Lack of experience by youth is not a weakness. Youth have fresh ideas, and are innovative, and are powerful beyond measure.

In particular, young people and youthful leaders showing interest in elective positions at different levels, in the forthcoming general elections, have been mocked, intimidated and told to wait. Young people’s interest to run for office, including the highest in the land, breaks with the long-standing tradition — keeping young people in the waiting room.

It is important to see potential and abilities of young people other than ‘inexperience. Youth have fresh ideas, creativity and energy hat the society needs to make progress.

Youth have come of age to run for all political seats. Yet in a country where 80 per cent of the population is below age 35 years, the question is no longer whether youth leadership matter, but how they can be supported to lead.

Across the country, election campaigns show a profound desire for change. With political activities ahead of 2027 General Elections already gathering momentum, young people are Kenya’s largest voting bloc and decisive force in determining the credibility of future elections. Youth must not only register and vote, but must vote for youthful leaders who have vision, values and valour.

It is encouraging to see Kenyan youth determined to challenge the old political order and cause a paradigm shift for youth driven leadership and governance in the country’s political system. We must have their backs. They are the ones we have been waiting for.

Youth keen to run for office in the 2027 General Election should not be discouraged — youth must know that their age is their asset; it is their superpower. Young aspirants must stay strong, committed and hopeful in the knowledge that there are youth leaders who’ve proved it is possible.

It is time for young patriotic Kenyans to actively participate in politics and vie for political offices. Young Kenyans must move from the waiting room, and refuse to engage from the sidelines. Youth are not too young to run.

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Raphael Obonyo is a Public Policy Analyst. Email: [email protected]