The Youth should be the drivers of change

Post date: Mon, Jul 16, 2012
Category: General
By: IEA Kenya,

Young People are an essential component of a nation’s development and the realization of Kenya Vision 2030, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will largely depend on the development of Kenya’s human resources, of which the youth are the majority. Regrettably though, they have been relegated to the backburners and are at the periphery of all major decision making processes.

Everywhere around the world, young people desire more access not just to job opportunities, but to a better quality of life. They resent being marginalized in decision making processes and are eager to have greater control over their lives. These gaps have been left un-addressed; hence conflict, violence and a missed generation for global development are the costs of neglect that the society is paying one way or another.

Oftentimes, problems facing the youth in Kenya have characteristically been narrowed down to a mere rhetoric of unemployment. How about the drugs menace at the coast? Non-inclusion by various stakeholders? Poor governance?

Unemployment is a simplistic way of looking at challenges facing the youth. Aren’t there employed youths who are still disillusioned about the state of affairs in the country? There are two sides of a coin, but we need to critically look at the third side of the coin. Only by so doing will we get the root cause of what ails the youth.

The number of frustrated and disillusioned youths in the country is slowly forming an “army” of idle people who can be easily manipulated. The situation has been left unmitigated, and now we have youths who have become gangs for hire to the highest bidder. They are the armed militias who see no evil engaging in crime, as they try to survive in an environment where opportunities and resources are unequally distributed.

As Kenya prepares for the forthcoming elections, the Kenyan youths need to rise beyond these challenges and reclaim/restore our country, which we will bequeath our children and the children of our children.

The youth should be the change drivers. In the annals of history making are three groups of men: Change drivers who steer the process; change waiters who watch, wait to see what happens next and change spectators who are undecided history viewers.

The youth also need to take a leading role in advocating for the speedy and full implementation of the ongoing reform process. The current reform initiatives should be made a reality to the youth and must be driven by both the inspirations and aspirations of young people, especially in the socio-economic and political realms. This will give hope to the youth whose only future lies on the suggested fundamental reforms that would transform the country into a more democratic, open and equitable society.

The youth have the power of the social media which they can use to bring a complete positive revolution in the country. The Arab Spring witnessed last year demonstrates the power and importance of the social media and its ability to unite crowds of people in the shortest amount of time, no matter the location.

Similarly, more youths need to join watchdogs to not only act as a check and balance but to also demand for transparency and accountability from all organs of the government.

The youth can also work as peace agents/peacemakers. They have to lead the way in setting peace building priorities and strategies. This can be done by establishing early warning mechanisms to foresee conflicts and prevent them, peace dialogue sessions, working closely with NCIC and pushing for a Policy on Peace building and conflict management whose development has been rendered a mirage.

With the direct participation of the youth who are informed, well guided and directed, a sustainable democracy with all its facets of Rule of Law, equality and equal representation is not a mirage at all

Although some seek to maintain status quo, the pervasive sentiments throughout the country for real change is palpable and Kenya is at a great threshold. A threshold of making history. As we remain optimistic about Kenya’s future, let us reflect that change can often occur more quickly than anyone expects. Through the rising voices of Kenyans and empowerment of the youth, fundamental democratic change will take place peacefully, and sooner than most observers expect.

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