Slogans won’t win over new breed of voters
Raila Odinga denied that he had a 'handshake' deal with President William Ruto and that he had benefited from the Gen Z protests over the Finance Bill 2024, which he said was necessary to prevent the country from descending into chaos.
It is not uncommon to hear conversations among Kenyans these days peppered with references to the Gen Z and their unique characteristics: assertive, outspoken, empowered, restless, and so on.
Before the protests triggered by the Finance Bill 2024, the term Gen Z was hardly in the Kenyan lexicon, but here we are, barely a year later, very conscious of the impact that this demographic is having in society.
This generation of Kenyans born between 1997 and 2012 accounts for 18.3 million people, 33 per cent of the country’s population. Evidence that Kenya finds itself at a generational crossroads, not just in its politics, but in homes and the workplace.
The country, like the rest of the world, faces a new set of challenges in virtually every sector, including education, health, agriculture and the environment. A Geopoll survey in 2024 found that over 66 per cent of Kenyans aged 18-24 are unemployed.
And then there are major issues that we have to grapple with as a member of the global community, such as climate change, artificial intelligence, security threats, and financial upheavals.
Never has there been a greater need for transformative leadership guided by smart and innovative approaches. The new generation of voters is not just enlightened, but is also not afraid to call out folks who want to take them for a ride.
The expectations on the shoulders of leaders have never been heavier.
In the course of the next two years, we will see many people put themselves forward for leadership roles claiming to have listened to “the voice of the people”. But the voice of the people is no longer just a cliché; it must be a commitment to leadership with a clear agenda and a readiness to be subjected to rigorous audit by your employers, the electorate.
My humble advice to prospective candidates is to know the demands of the job and not just its perks.
But what kind of leader is this that I would place my trust in to deliver on the promise of a better life? What are the values and character of the people that I can entrust to reclaim the country from the morass and steer it back on the path to prosperity.
I want a leader who is authentic, not one who hides behind slogans and tag lines. I want a leader who genuinely empathises with the people. One who can feel the struggles of the masses and work towards solutions that are practical and sustainable.
Gen Z protestors outside Ndururi Primary School on June 23, 2024.
I want a leader who is devout without manipulating religion to hoodwink the people. One who says what they mean and means what they say on promoting nationhood, so that all Kenyans can see themselves as having equal opportunities regardless of ethnicity or social class.
I want a leader whose integrity is beyond reproach, one who will understand that national resources are held in trust on behalf of the people. I want a leader who fights for equal resources to be allocated to every part of the country so that a child born in Wajir stands an equal chance of succeeding in life as their counterpart in Nairobi.
Kenya deserves much better leadership than what we have had. Today’s voter has a long memory and will be merciless against anyone who has shortchanged them or betrayed their trust come 2027.
The writer is the founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities. kennedy@shofco.org.