We must create space for the youth in Kenya

Since the mean age of Africa’s leaders is 77 years, the argument goes, these aged leaders “do not represent the largely young population they serve”.

Given the youth demographic bulge in Africa, it is dangerous not to incorporate them into the continent’s leadership.

The African Youth Charter, adopted by the African Union Summit in July 2006, defines youth as those between 15 and 35. In Kenya, 75 per cent of the population is below 35 years, while those between 15 and 35 are 36.3 per cent. Democracy and human rights require that such a dominant population gets a substantial share of leadership and the economy.

Article 12 of the charter mandates each state party to “develop a comprehensive and coherent national youth policy”. Unfortunately, African countries, Kenya included, are yet to fulfil this mandate.

Kenya’s National Youth Council Act of 2009, which endeavoured to establish the normative and institutional framework for youth empowerment, is yet to be operationalised. However, section 55 of the 2010 Constitution sought to protect the youth in certain fields enumerated in the youth charter.

Article 2 guarantees non-discrimination of young persons. There should be no room for generational discrimination.

Article 10 provides the right to social, economic, political and cultural development of young persons. States must therefore encourage organisations to lead youth programmes. Development is not to be done for young people. Autonomy, self-actualisation and self-reliance become key.

Article 11 recognises the right of the youth to participate in all spheres of society. These include elective offices as well as other decision-making forums; engagement in youth advocacy and peer-to-peer programmes for marginalised youth; measures to professionalise youth work; and involvement in volunteerism.

Article 13 emphasises the right to quality education, including formal, non-formal and informal education, distance learning, lifelong learning and community work for young people. Such education must provide skills that guarantee both employability and self-employment.

Article 14 focuses on poverty eradication and socio-economic integration of the youth to ensure they can experience holistic development. The charter enjoins state parties to take measures that guarantee, inter alia, attractiveness of rural areas to young farmers, provision of grants of land to youth and youth organisations for socio-economic development purposes, and access to credit.

Article 15 concerns sustainable livelihoods and youth employment. It boldly asserts “Every young person shall have the right to gainful employment”. Further, measures to facilitate youth access to the informal economy are guaranteed. Linkages between the labour market and the education and training system are emphasised and training for youth entrepreneurship is prioritised.

Article 19 provides for youth engagement in sustainable development and protection of the environment and climate action.

Article 20 emphasises youth participation in the modern knowledge-based economy. The charter also supports positive exploitation of youth culture and use of science and technology.

In light of the above, and within the context of the recent debate on constitutional review, what would a Kenyan youth manifesto look like?

The youth agenda including national youth policy should be developed first and foremost by youth-led organisations.

A change of our electoral system to introduce proportional representation can offer space for youth recruitment into elected positions. Youth should target one-third of the elected offices.

Future constitutional review efforts must settle the one-third gender rule, and the positions must also have at least one third being reserved for female youths. For any new employment within county and national governments, at least half should be young people. They possess the necessary educational qualifications and superior technological skills.

Both county and national governments must rigorously enforce the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities regulations. Of the youth, women and people with disabilities doing business with government, half should be young persons who are male, female and people with disabilities.

The National Youth Service must be re-imagined so that it is also cascaded to the county government level.

Youth and innovation centres should be established in each county. Subsidised technical and vocational training must be re-engineered so that it can become the basis of our cottage industries, manufacturing and modern industrialisation. Graduates from these institutions should be supported to establish businesses.

The internship policy, which was recently rolled out by the national government, should be expanded. Each government project can have interns for its duration or on a yearly basis so that they can learn and earn. Through this programme, both levels of government can enlist at least 20,000 interns per year.

Some of the youth programmes suggested above can be funded through a dedicated youth fund from the 35 to 50 per cent of the proposed county equitable share. At least five per cent should be used to implement the county youth agenda. The national government should also set aside further funds to support youth policies.

Tax holidays for a defined period for youth social enterprises, start-ups and other youth economic organisations is a good strategy for promoting youth business.

Our legislators should conclude the review of the National Youth Council Act, 2009, so that Kenyan youth can have the necessary vehicle to undertake their youth driven agenda.

These proposals may seem radical, but to secure Africa, her youth must be secured.

And let us remember that Article 26 of the African Youth Charter describes the responsibilities and duties of the youth – protect family, society, the State and the international community.

Prof Kibwana in the Governor of Makueni County.