NAIROBI,Kenya, A recent survey has found that a majority of the youth in the country perceive politics as ‘boring’ and perceive it as primarily reserved for the wealthy and old people.
The study conducted by Inuka ni Sisi and the Civic Voice civil society groups shows a disconnect between the youth and the political sphere.
The survey, which targeted youth aged 18-35 in Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nairobi, found that a large number of young people feel that politics does not align with their interests and is largely inaccessible to those without substantial financial resources.
“A comparative analysis of different age groups found that younger cohorts aged 18 to 25 and 26 to 30 are not interested in participating in politics. When asked why during focus group discussions, some mentioned that they find politics boring and think it was for older people,” the report released on Friday read in part.
Participation rates in political activities varied across the counties surveyed.
In Nairobi, out of 509 respondents, only 200 reported engaging in political activities while Mombasa, 248 out of 519 participants were involved.
In Kisumu, the report indicated that some young people argued that political involvement often requires endorsement from prominent figures, such as Opposition Chief Raila Odinga. There, only 183 out of 507 were active in politics.
“If Baba [Odinga] agrees, then you can participate in politics. However, they mentioned that gaining “Baba’s” approval is a challenging task,” the survey states.
Other pursuits
The report indicates that it was a view of the majority of those interviewed that their time might be better spent on other pursuits.
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In Mombasa, the study revealed that politics is often viewed as being reserved for specific local communities, with those from other regions feeling their political engagement is limited to support mobilization.
In Nairobi County, the survey highlighted a perception that politics is closely tied to wealth.
A majority of the respondents believe that without significant financial resources, participating in politics is “pointless”.“
The feedback from young people reflects the structural barriers that hinder their political participation,” the report notes.
The survey also attributes the lack of youth engagement in politics to insufficient civic education.
Commenting on the findings, the Project Director of the Civic Voice Initiative Abdulkadir Noormohamed said that there is a strong link between economic conditions and civic participation.
Lack of understanding
He expressed concern that many young Kenyans do not fully understand how ineffective economic policies, influenced by poor leadership, impact their lives and civic engagement.
“Despite decades of civic education in the country, there remains a lack of understanding about how electing ineffective leaders results in policies that lead to widespread economic hardship,” Noormohamed said.
He pointed out that challenges faced by the youth such as limited economic opportunities, barriers to education, coupled with leadership failures, have bred a deep distrust of traditional governance institutions among the youth.
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“This has fostered a belief that political participation is futile and does not produce tangible results.”
He however noted that the recent youth participation in nationwide protests, “which was not driven by monetary incentives, may signal a significant shift” on how the youth view their participation in politics.
“Whether this represents a temporary occurrence or a lasting change in youth activism is yet to be determined,” he said.
This article was first published on Capital FM (News)NAIROBI,Kenya .
