By Ruth Syomiti, on Attachment at Development Through Media (DTM)
As Kenya readies for the next general election, youth and women are no longer content simply with their numbers being counted — they want to lead. Through social media, civic forums, and local innovations, they are pushing for inclusion backed by facts, not promises.
Kenya is at a turning point. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is targeting some 6.3 million new voters through its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) process, estimating that about 70% of these will be youth. Yet uptake among younger Kenyans has been lower than anticipated — as of early October 2025, only 20,754 new registrations had been recorded nationwide.
On gender parity, women currently hold 23.3% of seats in Kenya’s Parliament (including county women representatives) — a figure also cited by UN Women and Parliamentary data sources. This remains below the Constitution’s two-thirds gender rule and the regional average. These numbers matter: they reveal both the opportunity and the gap. The voices pushing hardest now are those who refuse to be silent.
The Youth: “We Are Here Now”
Kenyan youth are increasingly rejecting the idea that they are simply “leaders of tomorrow.” They want to lead today.
On X (formerly Twitter), university student, Brian Kiptoo, captured this feeling:
“We vote, we campaign, we show up — but when it’s time to make decisions, we’re not at the table.”
In a civic forum held at the University of Nairobi, student leader, Faith Odhiambo, told attendees that young people “have the energy and the ideas to lead, but we are rarely trusted with real space to do so.”
Organizations such as Siasa Place, Power254, and the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association (KYPA), have been working to train and prepare young people for civic leadership.
Even then, voter registration among youth remains low.
“Youth registration is still not where it should be,” decries IEBC Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan.
Mr Marjan added that the commission plans to use mobile registration centers and social media campaigns to reach more young voters across the country.
Women: Beyond Representation, Towards Real Power
For many women in Kenya, political leadership remains a difficult journey. Despite constitutional protections, Parliament has not yet passed the law required to enforce the two-thirds gender rule.
At an African Women Leaders Network–Kenya (AWLN–Kenya) leadership dialogue held in Nairobi in May 2023, women participants said that high campaign costs and public bias continue to discourage women from contesting.
“We’re not asking for special treatment. We just want fairness and a chance to lead,” wrote Activist Wanjira Wanjiru On Instagram,
Groups such as the Young Women’s Forum Kenya (YWF-Kenya), the Women in Political Parties League (YWPL), and the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya), are offering mentorship and legal support to women aspirants. They however emphasize that beyond training, women need fair party nomination rules, financial support, and protection from harassment and gender-based violence.
“Women have shown that they are ready to lead, but the systems around them must also be ready to let them in,” explained Anne Ireri, Executive Director, FIDA-Kenya,
Digital Platforms: The New Public Space
Social media has become a new civic space — a place for learning, mobilizing, and demanding accountability.
Youth advocate, Linet Anyango from Kisumu said during an online discussion;
“If national conversations are happening online, then access to the internet is access to power.”
Campaigns such as #HerVoiceMatters, #VoteForChangeKE, and #YouthAgenda2025, have encouraged young people and women to speak out and register to vote.
However, limited Internet access in rural areas remains a major obstacle. Many young people — especially women — are left out due to poor connectivity and high data costs.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are urging the government to make Internet access more affordable and to expand digital literacy programs nationwide.
Promises and Reality
Leaders have repeatedly pledged support for youth and women — but much of that support remains on paper.
At a meeting organized by the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), Cabinet Secretary Hanna Wendot Cheptumo said,
“Policies alone are not enough. We need visible, measurable action that changes how women and youth access opportunities.”
Some counties are already taking small but significant steps. In Kwale County, Governor Fatuma Achani has promised to mentor women aspirants, while Nakuru County has introduced a new gender policy that ensures that women’s issues are considered in county budgeting and planning.
Yet on the ground, the story feels different.
“We hear of funds for youth and women every year, but they never reach us. What people want is not speeches — they want systems that actually work,” said Mercy Wairimu, a Community organizer from Kiambu.
Civil Society and Local Action
CSOs continue to play a strong role in this space. Organizations like the Centre for Multiparty Democracy – Kenya (CMD-Kenya), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), FIDA-Kenya, and AWLN-Kenya, have been providing training, leadership mentorship, and advocacy for both youth and women.
In Uasin Gishu County, young people and NGOs have reviewed the 2024 Kenya Youth Policy, proposing ways to make it practical at the community level. Nakuru County’s gender policy — which includes funding and monitoring women’s leadership programs — is also being used as a model for others.
“The most powerful change happens when communities take ownership of their own political future”, noted the Centre for Multy-party Democracy-Kenya (CMD-K)’s Executive Director, Frankline Mukwanja,
What “the Ground” Is Asking For
Across Kenya — from town halls to social media — the message is clear. Youth and women want simple and realistic reforms that can open doors for all.
From interviews and online discussions, these are the most common “calls to action” voiced by youth and women across Kenya:
- Lower the cost of joining politics. Reduce nomination and campaign fees, especially for youth and women.
- Provide real mentorship. Political parties and counties should offer leadership and training programs that build confidence and skills.
- Create fair access to jobs and funding. Ensure that government tenders and empowerment funds are transparent and easy to apply for.
- Improve Internet access. Make data affordable and rural networks stronger so that no one is left behind.
- Protect candidates from harm. Take strong action against harassment and violence targeting women and youth in politics.
- Invest in civic education. Help citizens understand how government works and why their votes matter.
These are not impossible demands — they are the foundation of a fair and inclusive democracy.
A Generation Refusing Silence
Kenya’s young people and women are no longer waiting for someone to open the door — they are building their own.
“We don’t just want a seat at the table,” said one youth advocate. “We’re ready to build the table ourselves.”
If Kenya truly wants to strengthen its democracy, it must listen to these voices and act — not with words, but with policies that create real and lasting change.
