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The political landscape in Kenya is no longer business as usual with the youth taking their role in determining the country’s future in a development that is proving to be a challenge to many politicians.
Their numerical strength, if harnessed and turned into votes is enough to guarantee any candidate a win, and it is for this reason that politicians are courting them at all costs and those who fall out of their favour have great reason to worry as their numbers is certain can mean a resounding defeat.
Bold and brave in challenging systems that don't work for them
For a long time, voters silently grumbled and had to persevere with systems that do not work for them with lawmakers often whipped to support unpopular decisions endorsed by political supremos.
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This is no longer the case as the youth are increasingly getting bold and brave in challenging systems that do not work for them, calling out politicians and those who defy what voters say are put on notice and reminded that they have failed to serve the interest of voters at rallies where they are deplatformed, signaling a possible firing at the ballot in the next election.
Kenya’s youth are alive to the power that they wield and are reclaiming their sovereignty in ways that other neighbouring countries whose democracy is years behind can only admire.
In cases where MPs fail to represent the people and attempt to bulldoze their way through, the citizenry has used legal means within its disposal to make their voices heard and count, with the Finance Bill 2024 that was trashed being a clear product of this.
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From social media to the streets and even actively reaching out to leaders on phone calls, texts, emails and WhatsApp messages, every avenue to make their views count is utilised.
Occupying social media spaces to unpacking lies & grandiose promises
Politicians largely rely on pledges of what they will do to win over voters and herein lies their nightmare with the youth in Kenya who are well-informed and are able to read through the lies peddled by politicians, unpack grandiose promises that will not materialise and ask the difficult questions that previous generations could not.
They dispense knowledge without discrimination to all other generations, shaping their worldview and opening their eyes to perspectives that some politicians would prefer to remain hidden.
In the era of social media, propaganda, misinformation and disinformation is a tactic frequently used by politicians and this is a terrain that Kenyan youth have mastered well.
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As opposed to the past when bloggers bankrolled by politicians and powerful political actors controlled the narrative, churning out misinformation and disinformation, the youth do not just consume the content they interact with: They pause to think through, ask questions and many are able to flag outright propaganda and disinformation churned by bloggers to push a certain narrative.
Some go a step further to unpack the lies and present facts as was witnessed last year when the Finance Bill 2024 was annalysed, in social media spaces, with the youth exposing misinformation peddled by politicians and bloggers.
Armatures vs experts on mainstream media: Who is the expert in issues that affect them?
A robust media and the opportunities that come with it has worked to the advantage of the Kenyan youth in their quest for a better nation.
Politicians graced TV talk shows to defend or oppose issues in total disregard of the position taken by their employers- the Kenyan voter.
This has shifted with the mainstream media opening up spaces for the youth to engage in discussions on issues that affect them and, in my view, a number of youthful activists have made politicians and some ‘experts’ look like armatures on live TV talk shows.
The depth of their knowledge, passion and ability to prosecute their case, anchored in facts have left politicians speechless or stammering to find the right words to counter.
Shift from political personalities to issues
Kenyan politics has for a long time revolved around personalities whose endorsement or lack of it means victory or defeat as the case may be. The ground is however shifting in ways that are proving tricky to many politicians as the youth are increasingly not relying on traditional political players and methods to mobilise.
Theirs is a movement in which their collective plight with unemployment, corruption and economic times as politicians and their families live large and flaunt wealth is the mobiliser.
Their loyalty is not to a political figure but to the quest for a better Kenya as was evident during last year’s protests when they came out in large numbers.
Experience is the best teacher and they have it
Having lived through the lies of politicians, Kenya’s youth have learnt from experience what to trust and what not to. Some of those who will vote in 2027 are beneficiaries of the free Primary Education rolled out by former President Mwai Kibaki.
Others lived through the promise of laptops for all primary school pupils, a promise that was made by current President William Ruto who at the time was on a joint ticket with Uhuru Kenyatta.
This is a mix of generations that have seen the difference between manifestos being fulfilled and endless promises that amount to nothing.
They have tasted life during the Kibaki era when health, education and security systems worked with expanded opportunities through to the current chaos in public universities, the crisis in public schools lacking adequate infrastructure and teachers, the mess in the health sector, shrinking opportunities and outright wastage and corruption.
Challenges resonate well with them
Most of the challenges that the country faces such as acute unemployment resonate well with the youth who are at the productive phase of their lives with education, skill and energy to earn a living but with limited opportunities.
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Case in point is promises of creating jobs that is familiar to them, the latest having been made by President William Ruto who promised one million jobs annually with little to show for it.
President William Ruto promised to create one million jobs annually and having been in power for more than two years, the unemployment situation is a case whose verdict anyone can give.